


The loners

by ael_ys



Category: IT (1990), IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Abuse, Angst, Fluff, Group chat, M/M, Suicide, gays, serial killer au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-12-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 19:21:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 23,521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21583828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ael_ys/pseuds/ael_ys
Summary: Michael Hanlon was raised in Europe, when he moves to the USA he mets William Denbrough who welcomes him. Bill adds Mike to his friend’s group chat. Mike crushes on Ben Hanscom and gets jealous of Bill. Bill loves Stanley Uris whose constant scheming with Richard Tozier drive crazy. Eddie and Richie have feelings for one another but none of them can see a future with the other. This complicated love stories will unfold in Derry, Maine, where a most mysterious threat is hiding.
Relationships: Bill Denbrough/Stanley Uris, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier, Mike Hanlon/Ben Hanscom
Kudos: 15





	1. A new friend

Billy Boy added MikeHNL to “The Loners”.

Billy Boy: come on peps say welcome to Mike

Edward I: Welcome Mike

Marsh Embers: welcome 

Small Ben: welcome :)

Trash(mouth): welcome friend

Stan: Are you a fucking sect? 

Billy Boy: okay, first of all rude, second of all say welcome to Mike.

Stan: Hey Mike! Welcome to the alcoholic anonymous, I’m Stan and I am about to get wasted.

Marsh Embers: Stanley, i call bullshit. 

Edward I: Twenty bucks he is currently at the synagogue 

Billy Boy changed MikeHNL’s nickname to Frenchie

Trash(mouth): Onk Onk Baguette Croissant, Voulez-vous coucher avec moi?

Stan: I would like to hit the trash.

Edward I: Permission granted

Small Ben: the king has spoken

Frenchie: hullo there

Marsh Embers: omg british english 

Marsh Embers: where did ya find this one?

Billy Boy: this one is called Mike, he is French. 

Frenchie: well technically i’m from the USA but i lived in europe for a while

Small Ben: how come?

Frenchie: my parents died when i was young and i just kind of went from a relative to another

Trash(mouth): i go from one relative to another too but not for the same reasons, you should ask Eddie’s mom

Billy Boy: i think we lost Stan

Billy Boy: really richie?

Edward I: Beep Beep Richie

Marsh Embers: dude just shut up

Frenchie: sorry but Bill mind introducing everyone to me?

Billy Boy: sure wait.,.  
Billy Boy: (It’s easier to write with my phone so I took it) I already told you about Stanley, Stan for short. Trash(mouth) is Richard, but Richie is way better. Then you have Edward, just call him whatever, his name has already been soiled by Richie anyway. Marsh Embers is Beverly and Small Ben is Ben (no shit) we ship them but they still aren’t together. And there’s me.

Frenchie: okay, well nice to meet you all.

Stan: Pleased to meet you. 

Marsh Embers: dude, i ship u with so many people so why don’t u date them

Billy Boy: idk man maybe cause i don’t like them??!???

Edward I: Are you back on your computer? You are terrible at writing.

Billy Boy: f u eddie

Trash(mouth): have some decency my dudes

Small Ben: i am choking. decency? decency richie? really?

Marsh Embers: oof that hurt

Billy Boy: especially from Ben

Trash(mouth): So, Mike, have you ever been to Spain?

Frenchie: yeah, a few years ago, it was very nice, i stayed at an aunt who lived around the border and her sons used to take me to the sea in Spain

Billy Boy: i always found it funny how europe could be so small yet have so many countries.

Small Ben: you do realise we have states? 

Edward I: I swear to God if you say it’s the same I will hit you

Stan: States are less independent than countries. Plus European countries share a history of war when the USA was colonised and unified by its own people. 

Marsh Embers changed Stan’s nickname to Booooooring

Booooooring changed Marsh Embers’s nickname to mah bish

mah bish changed Edward I’s nickname to Granny

Granny changed Trash(mouth)’s nickname to Polla

Polla: i’m not part of the argument though?????!

Polla changed Billy Boy’s nickname to Idiot de service

Frenchie: that one hurt

Idiot de service: What does it mean?

Booooooring: That’s why you should have taken French and not Spanish. (Thank you for using your phone again.)

Polla: spanish is cool dude you can’t say french is superior

Small Ben: thank god i got spared

Booooooring changed their nickname to Stanley Uris

Idiot de service: Wait, I’ll do it

Idiot de service changed their nickname to Billy

Billy changed Stanley Uris’s nickname to Stan

Billy changed Polla’s nickname to Richie

Billy changed Granny’s nickname to Eddie

Billy changed mah bish’s nickname to Bevvie

Billy changed Frenchie’s nickname to Mikey

Billy: It just came to me, do you like it?

Mikey: i do, thanks Billy

Bevvie: Don’t fall for the boy, he might tell ya he is straight (true story)

Billy: stfu

Billy: Should I change yours Ben?

Small Ben: Sure

Billy changed Small Ben’s nickname to Benny

Stan: I can see a theme.

Bevvie: i think u just got ostracised

Benny: omg we stan a literate queen

Eddie: Learn how to use punctuation and capital letters first

Stan: LeArN hOw To UsE pUnCtUaTiOn AnD cApItAl LeTtErS fIrSt.

Mikey: sorry guys gotta go, my grandpop’s calling

Bevvie: same, i promised my aunt i would go shopping w/ her, ttyl

-  
Bill D>>>MikeHNL  
Bill D: Don’t mind what Beverly said about me, I’m gay, I don’t really think it’s important to say it but you should know


	2. Animals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Loners group chat is confronted to hatred but they overcome it by talking about cute little beast.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am going mad, I can’t make the text look right, bold and italics seems to disappear as soon as I paste what I wrote on here

Bill D>>>MikeHNL  
MikeHNL: well, so am i so no biggie

Bill D: Oh, that’s cool, because all of us all queers

MikeHNL: okay, i am shock, because i lived mainly in the countryside we didn’t have a lot of LGBTQ+ people

Bill D: Maybe you shouldn’t be too happy

-  
The Loners

Richie: guess who just called a faggot

Bevvie: is it that little bitch again?

Stan: Don’t talk about Eddie that way. 

Eddie: What the hell Stan

Eddie: What have I done to deserve this cattiness

Bevvie: bitchiness*

Benny: i know but i can’t tell ye 

Stan: Oh, darling, you should be very well aware.

Mikey: What happened?

Richie: oh. well.,,,

Billy: Get ready for a long ass text 

Richie: as long as your mom’s ass

Bevvie: Beep Beep Richie, keep writing coward

Bevvie: have i told you i made my phone automatically remplace bbr by Beep Beep Richie

Stan: I should learn from you.

Eddie: GUYYYYSSSD IM DO HAPPY 

Eddie: MY NEW PALETTE CAME IN TODAY I AM GOING TO DIEOF HAPPINESS

Stan: I am having a stroke.

Billy: Let’s do a sleepover soon, I wanted to see it

Bevvie: Is it the shiny one?

Benny: i liked the one from last year’s christmas 

Eddie: The one you bought me? or the one I got from my mom?

Benny: the one you used on us for the new year’s eve party

Richie: so i was at the arcade (don’t make fun of me, it may be some ancient concept to you but i love it with every fiber of my being)and i was minding my own business as usual, the problem is this time Henry was there. sometimes he can get around the fact i am breathing the same air as him sometimes he can’t and today was one of those days. he seemed to have targeted me for a while already when i realised it. he kept glaring at me. if he did not look so constipated you could have thought he was in love with me (which would be understandable seeing how sexy i look). anyway the boy comes over with his menacing eyes, looking all haughty and shit. so i just go “may i go” when he stops in front of me, blocking any path towards the exit. he answered something along the line of no you can’t you dickhead or such. so i am just like okay dude chill out. at this point i was just going to go straight home, i wouldn’t have cared if only he had left me alone but he said “where are your friends, aren’t you faggots always together” so i punched him. but he is stronger and he knew it so he hit me back. a few times. so yeah don’t mind my face tomorrow when we see each other

Mikey: holy shit

Bevvie: omg send a pic

Richie: okay but only to you

Bevvie: sure

Bevvie: I can help you cover it up if you need help

Bevvie: it’s the only kind of makeup i can do sooooo

Richie: it’s fine, i have to be brave, plus if Henry sees i covered it up he will fucking kill me 

Mikey: who’s that Henry?

Eddie: A dickhead. 

Stan: You only need to know he means no good.

Benny: he has been bullying us since a long time now, well at least since I moved here

Eddie: It started years ago

Stan: I think he really started to target us in general when I skipped a grade. Before he wouldn’t look for us this way.

Mikey: have you told anyone

Billy: They won’t do anything about it anyway 

Bevvie: my aunt knows, she told me to stay away from him cause he means trouble

Eddie: Let’s not talk about my mom’s reaction, she wouldn’t let me out for a few weeks when she heard about it

Richie: let’s talk about something else, Mike where do you live?

Mikey: uphill, in the old farm, previously owned by the Joneses i think

Benny: oh, i live close by, i am in the house on the route toward Portland

Bevvie: y is nobody from the city center

Stan: Because it’s crap.

Eddie: At least it’s not the periphery

Benny: hum hum

Mikey: no it’s alright, we get to have dogs

Richie: I have a dog, come over whenever to see it

Mikey: send a pic

Richie: sure

Richie: [labrador]

Mikey: can i marry u

Bevvie: wow u went from Billy to Richie v fast

Billy: I have a cat if anyone is interested

Mikey: well once we divorce i guess you’re next

Stan: We may observe a rare case of black widow. It seems to only be interested in animals of different species.

Mikey: ahahah ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

Eddie: This emoticon took away ten years of my lifespan

Stan: I don’t have any beast at my house leave me alone.

Benny: LIRA U HAV SO MANYU FREAKINT BIRDS, EVERYTIME I CONR OVER I EDN UP WITH FRATGERS EVERYWHEREN

Eddie: Translation: Liar! You have so many birds. Everytime I come over I end up with feathers everywhere!

Mikey: what breed do you own

Stan: Hard to say, they don’t belong to me, I feed them so I can observe them. You should come over to watch them once.

Bevvie: omg

Benny: Oh my

Eddie: Wow

Billy: *gasp*

Mikey: What’s going on?

Billy: Stan has never invited any of us bird watching 

Stan: It’s not a big deal. You just aren’t interested.

-  
Bill D>>>Stanley Uris

Bill D: Of course we are. At least I am.

Bill D: I want to know what my friends like

Stanley Uris: Why did you nickname me Stan?

Bill D: I just assumed you wouldn’t like being called Stanny or something of the kind

Stanley Uris: Okay.

Bill D: Are you mad?

Stanley Uris: No.

Bill D: You sure?

Stanley Uris: Yes.


	3. Bothering words

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy wonders what is wrong with Stan. Mike shares his experience in France.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It took me one hour but I think I managed to make the words I wanted bold or in italics. I am getting better at writing like an actual teenager (though the only reference I have as of now is myself), which can be challenging because I need to write properly, make proper sentences and now I have to make my writing look so much different from how I, as a person, would do it. But is quite interesting, I write with capital letters on my computer whereas I don't when using my phone because I disabled the automatic capitals.

**Bill D >>> Bev<3**

**Bev <3**: is Stan okay, he seems to be moody

**Bill D: No** he is fine

**Bev <3**: …

**Bev <3**: ur a liar

**Bev <3:** and a bad one

**Bill D:** If you want me to tell the truth, something feels off but I can’t say why

**-**

**Tozenbrak**

**BigBill:** Hey

**Rich:** i forgot this group chat existed 

**Eds:** It’s been a while

**Rich:** still not willing to make Tozenbrak real?

**Eds** : Gross, use your hand

**BigBill:** Guys.

**BigBill:** I think Stan is not doing well.

**Eds** : I kinda understood he was angry when he talked. he sounded harsher than usual

**Rich:** Oh yeah. I know. Wait.

-

**Ricardo >>>Stanley Uris**

**Ricardo:** your boy(s) is(/are) worried

**Stanley Uris:** shut it dumbface 

**Ricardo:** can’t do 

**Ricardo:** should i tell big bill and eds what is doing on

**Stanley Uris** : don’t be too daring baby boy, i won’t hesitate to fucking kill u

**Ricardo:** come on i know you love me

**Stanley Uris:** more than myself

**Ricardo:** that’s sweet, kinda

**Stanley Uris:** that’s the best i can do

**Ricardo:** i wanna get wasted rn

**Ricardo:** and i’m horny af

**Stanley Uris:** not going to come over if that’s what u want

**Ricardo:** i can see that

**Ricardo:** u must be pretty depressed to care this little

**Stanley Uris:** not depressed, tired though, exhausted

**Ricardo:** need me over? 

**Stanley Uris:** r u kidding me? if they saw u they would ask questions 

**Ricardo:** yeah but ur unhappy

**Stanley Uris:** wow, big new

**Ricardo:** don’t be so cynical 

**Stanley Uris:** sorry. 

**Ricardo:** luv u don’t worry bout a thing, i’ll be there soon

**-**

**Tozenbrak**

**Rich:** OK, i am going to go over to his house

**Eds:** The fuck is going on

**BigBill:** not us fucking 

**Eds:** I would rather duck Bev than the both of you

**Rich:** well u r missing out

**BigBill:** Bev would say you’re in heat

**Rich:** she’s right

**Rich:** y do i think i am going to Stan’s

**BigBill:** *pukes*

**Eds:** Stan is sweet, i hope he fucking tops you

**Rich:** I ain’t no _uke_

**BigBill:** gross gross gross

**-**

**Bill D >>>Bev<3**

**Bill D:** Rich is going over to watch over him

**Bill D:** but he seems hornier than a dog in ruth

**Bev <3:** hornier than the dude in the video i sent you last week?

**Bill D:** The blonde? Or the ginger?

**Bev <3:** idunno, the one you said was you when u saw you-know-who naked

**Bill D:** half-naked 

**Bev <3:** same difference

**Bill D:** If I saw him naked I would drop on my knees and fucking die

**Bev <3:** drama queen

**Bill D:** You love it

**Bev <3:** not as much as Stanny

**Bill D:** Wait

**Bill D:** He lets you call him Stanny

**-**

**Bev <3>>>Stanley Uris**

**Bev <3:** Am I allowed to say you let me call you Stanny to Bill?

**Stanley Uris:** I don’t care

**Bev <3:** But you do

**-**

**Bill D >>>Bev<3**

**Bev <3:** he hasn’t said anything about it yet

**Bill D:** I never heard you call him that, I was surprised 

**-**

**The Loners**

**Mikey:** Ben

**Benny:** yeah? 

**Mikey:** give me your number so i can text you directly

**Benny:** oh yeah, sure.

**Benny:** [Ben Hanscom’s contact information]

**Benny:** why

**Mikey:** you take Chinese too, i wanted to see the lessons you did before 

**Benny:** okay, let me get my book

**Benny:** you’re in Bill’s lit class?

**Mikey:** yup

**Benny:** I like your teacher she’s nice

**Billy:** yeah “nice”

**Benny:** he’s mad because he had a B on his writing project 

**Billy:** it was fucking genius but she can’t acknowledge it

**Benny:** or maybe it just wasn’t enough to get an A

**Billy:** yeah yeah sure 

**Mikey:** omg i forgot about it

**Mikey:** guys. 

**Mikey:** i don’t have a clue about how exams work here

**Billy:** Neither do I

**Eddie:** I can explain if you want 

**Eddie:** Do you know what a GPA is?

**Mikey:** nope

**Eddie:** It stands for Grade Point Average, you can find equivalent to the grades online. It’s often on 4

**Mikey:** Okay

**Billy:** tell him about AP 

**Eddie:** Oh, okay. Advanced Placement are advanced curriculum sponsored by colleges, you can’t take it this year and it’s very selective so i don’t know if you will cut it

**Billy:** Eddie…

**Eddie:** What?

**Billy:** Mike had an average of 19 on 20 in france.

**Eddie:** What? It would be 3,8 for us!!!?????))

**Eddie:** How did you manage that?

**Mikey:** i took every language class one could take, i even cheated a little: i had french literature but two different classes, english literature but two classes, plus two hours of english and german, i also took spanish though usually students aren’t allowed to take as many classes 

**Eddie:** What did your timetable look like?

**Mikey:** u don’t want to know 

**Billy:** [hellish.timetable]

**Eddie:** Dude, what the hell

**Mikey:** Actually it was more fun than one would think

**Bevvie:** i hate language classes, i gave up on spanish last year, i only do Ds 

**Eddie:** It equals 5 

**Mikey:** Holy…

**Mikey:** my worst grade was probably like 16 in spanish

**Eddie:** That’s 3,2

**Benny:** what’s your worst grade ever? (sorryyyyy i went to help my mom bake)

**Mikey:** I got a 9,75 once

**Eddie:** 1,95

**Mikey:** do you like maths?

**Eddie:** Yeah

**Mikey:** wait are those calculations done in your head

**Eddie:** Yes, why?

**Mikey:** you are good, i could barely do basic stuff at the beginning of high school so i dropped maths as soon as possible

**Eddie:** ohhhhh noooooooooo

**Eddie:** Sciences are so interesting 

**Mikey:** i didn’t like it at all, the only reason i survived was because i always found great friends which would tutor me

**Eddie:** If you hadn’t dropped it i would have tutored you

**Billy:** What about economics?

**Mikey:** i had sociology and economic studies last year. i would not say it sucked but i didn’t like it 

**Benny:** don’t let Stan hear you

**-**

**B.H >>>Mike HNL**

**B.H:** do you need anything else?

**Mike HNL:** no it’s okay

**Mike HNL:** your handwriting is so neat

**Mike HNL:** i’m jealous

**Mike HNL:** teach me _senpai_

**Benny:** that’s japanese but sure

**Benny:** if you’re not up to anything i can come over or you can over to mine

**Mike HNL:** you should probably come, i don’t think it’s a good idea for me to walk around yet, i don’t know enough of the town

**Benny:** okay, do you have a bike?

**Mike HNL:** yeah? 

**Benny:** lets go to school together on monday 

**Mike HNL** : okay

**-**

**The Loners**

**Eddie:** Enough school talk everybody, let’s actually get shit done and do our homework

**Bevvie:** have you finished the math’s hw 

**Eddie:** Yeah, since Wednesday (still school talk...)  


**Benny:** I did, do you need help?

**Bevvie:** not yet

**-**

**Ricardo >>>Bill D**

**Ricardo:** i just arrived 

**Bill D:** take care of him

**Ricardo:** don’t worry 


	4. Late night texting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is awake when they shouldn’t and they end up chatting while Eddie is sleeping because his phone is off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so you guys should be worried, not because i will mess with the characters (I am still waiting for the right time) but because i updated both of my works today.

**The Loners**

**Richie:** hello mf

**Billy:** Hey

**Richie:** Y r u up

**Billy:** I’m doing stuff

**Richie:** its 1 am

**Richie:** is stuff a person? 

**Richie:** is it Mike? already?????)!!

**Billy:** Correction: I am busy writing a story 

**Richie:** ooooooh, send it asap 

**Billy:** Whyyy?

**Richie:** i wanna see

**Billy:** Will you even read it?

**Richie:** no? maybe? i’ll see once it’s in my hands i guess

**Billy:** So we can agreed the answer is no

**Richie:** Stan says he will read it so you have to send it

**Billy:** Wait, you’re sleeping over?

**Billy:** Waiiiittttt, more importantly he is aWAkE?

**Richie:** he just woke up because my phone wasn’t on silent, i thought he was going to strangle me

**Billy:** You’re a terrible friend 

**Bevvie:** dudes go to sleep

**Stan:** Don’t text if you want them to stop. We are talking to night owls not human beings.

**Benny:** u woke me up 

**Billy:** Sorry babe, gn peps

**Bevvie:** gn losers

**Richie:** no u guys

**Richie:** don’t leave merreeeeee

**Stan:** Don’t text.

**-**

**Bill D >>>Stanley Uris**

**Stanley Uris:** Don’t encourage him to text this late at night.

**Bill D:** I’m sorry it wasn’t my plan…

**Bill D:** How come you’re up?

**Stanley Uris:** His phone was noisy, it kept vibrating. I couldn’t ignore it any longer.

**Bill D:** No but the real reason 

**Stanley Uris:** Why can’t it be the real reason?

**Bill D:** Because I know you well enough to tell when you aren’t feeling good

**Stanley Uris:** I am fine, I have many tests next week. I am anxious that’s all.

**Bill D:** Okay, talk to me when you need a ear.

**-**

**Bev <3>>>B.H**

**B.H:** I need help

**Bev <3:** can i help u 2morrow? it’s late i want to sleep

**B.H:** the sooner the better, and you’re free so let’s talk now

**Bev <3:** the more i sleep, the least cranky i get so maybe not

**B.H:** okay but

**B.H:** Mike

**B.H:** Is 

**B.H:** Fucking

**B.H:** Hot

**Bev <3:** yh i know

**B.H:** no but like

**B.H:** he is so fit and all

**Bev <3:** your gay is showing

**B.H:** not gay, but damn

**B.H:** if i take PE with him i will swoon, and also cry

**Bev <3:** come on baby boy, u dropped a lot of weight. you may not be able to compare yet but the progress you made is amazing 

**B.H:** well thank god I fell in love with you

**Bev <3:** and thank god you fell out of love

**-**

**The Loners**

**Stan:** send a pic of ya frigging cute blue bird or i’ll kill u and ur fam

**Mikey:** feeling threatened rn

**Benny:** Richie, leave Stanley’s phone alone 

**-**

**Stanley Uris >>>Ricardo**

**Stanley Uris:** cover me bitch

**Ricardo:** ahahahah i cant believe you did it again, do u never learn

**Stanley Uris:** shut ur trap, i messed up so bad

**Stanley Uris:** if u don’t cover for me i will stay in the bathroom to continue crying 

**-**

**The Loners**

**Richie:** you got me. that was me. writing on stan the man’s phone, about a bird. a blue bird. and threatening someone’s life

**Bevvie:** the one going to die is you if you don’t leave this chat alone

**-**

**Bill D >>>B.H **

**B.H:** that was weird

**Bill D:** Richie and Stan?

**B.H:** yeah

**Bill D:** truuuueeee

**Bill D:** i don’t know what is going on 

**B.H:** i’m a bit stressed out by stan’s recent behaviour 

**Bill D:** Me too… Richie is supposed to be spying in for us but he hasn’t said anything yet

**B.H:** hm 

**B.H:** i am going to be selfish but can we talk about me

**Bill D:** What’s wrong??

**B.H:** I met Mike today

**Bill D:** Was he mean to you? Should I go beat him up?????

**B.H:** No!

**B.H:** It’s just that he is so nice, cheerful, funny and… well, he is gorgeous 

**Bill D:** oh

**Bill D:** When should i plan the wedding 

**B.H:** Billllllll

**B.H:** Dont. 

**B.H:** I wouldn’t be able to even date him

**Bill D:** Everyone loves you, why wouldn’t he?

**Bill D:** And even if you don’t get married, you’ll still have me who loves you unconditionally…

**-**

**Mike HNL >>>B.H**

**Mike HNL:** are you still up?

**B.H:** yeah! 

**Mike HNL:** and beaming with sunshine

**B.H:** no, it’s just that Bill just said something very sweet to me

**Mike HNL:** oh, he seems like a nice guy

**B.H:** he is. he is such a kind boy

**Mike HNL:** do you like him?

**B.H:** everyone loves Bill

**Mike HNL:** anyway, i texted to know if you could send me the character for beautiful 

**B.H:** sure, give me ten sec

**-**

**Ricardo >>>Bill D**

**Ricardo:** he finally fell asleep

**Bill D:** How is he feeling?

**Ricardo:** better, kinda

**Bill D:** ????

**Ricardo:** i shouldnt tell you, he made me promise, he cried his heart out before he went to sleep

**Bill D:** What happened?

**Ricardo:** he did not tell. 

**Ricardo:** my best guess would be that he is just too in love with 

**Bill D:** ? with who

**Ricardo:** my dick

**Bill D:** You are a disgusting piece of trash 

**Ricardo:** Tru dat 


	5. Cold bath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Billy is scandalised by Eddie’s behaviour but it has a good ending involving a large scale operation “Swimming”.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to update this today. Next chapter is going to be a real story in prose and not part of some teenagers’ conversations on some social media.

**The Loners**

**Billy:** Eddie! You fucking traumatised me! What is wrong with you??

**Eddie:** I have an explanation I swear

**Bevvie:** what is happening

**Billy:** Ask him

**Bevvie:** Eddie, what hath thou done

**Eddie:** I may have crossed the lawn while not wearing a lot

**Billy:** He crossed the lawn NAKED

**Bevvie:** what’s your explanation 

**Richie:** too bad I wasn’t here

**Benny:** you would have loved to see his soft lower cheeks

**Bevvie:** “soft lower cheeks” what is he? an animal?

**Stan:** He is.

**Mikey:** What the hell

**Eddie:** LISTEN TO ME YALL

**Eddie:** My mom took all my clothes and put them in the laundry

**Eddie:** And I was alone at home so i had to go get them, except i just finished showering and if I went outside with my towel I would have made the house dirty

**Stan:** Exhibitionist.

**Eddie:** No! I’m not.

**Richie:** Come over babe

**Eddie:** Leave me alone!

**Benny:** Are you still naked?

**Billy:** Wait let me check

**Mikey:** Wow checking out the neighbor 

**Mikey:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

**Stan:** Too bad the one living nearest to me is Richie

**Richie:** I can walk around naked if you want

**Billy:** Me too

**Bevvie:** I won’t.

**Benny:** You already saw everything there is too see

**Billy:** Ben is my baby don’t touch him Stan

**Eddie:** I did not do it on purpose 

**Mikey:** you are unlucky, right when Bill looked out the window

**Bevvie:** i never saw you naked Eddie, let’s change that

**Richie:** wow the sexual tension

**Eddie:** please don’t 

**Billy:** Let’s go to the quarry

**Benny:** No

**Billy:** Why? 

**Benny:** We are the 21th of January

**Billy:** And?

**Bevvie:** I am coming over, take me on your bike

**Eddie:** I can’t go

**Mikey:** I don’t know where the quarry is

**Benny:** I guess I can take Mike there, There’s no way I’ll swim though 

**Stan:** Everyone is writing almost properly, I feel threatened.

**Benny:** Sorry Stanley

**Stan:** I am coming too but I am staying with Ben

**Billy:** Then let’s meet up at 3

**Richie:** Is anybody going to invite me?

**Bevvie:** nope

**Eddie:** Nay

**Benny:** no

**Mikey:** no

**Stanley:** Should we?

**Billy:** Come I guess

**Richie:** smh

**-**

**Ricardo >>>Stanley Uris**

**Ricardo:** horny much

**Stanley Uris:** i swear to god if you don’t shut up i’ll make you

**Ricardo:** usually i would joke about it being a make out session but i’m pretty sure it’s closer to a murder party

**Stanley Uris:** smart boy

**Ricardo:** wise one

**Stanley Uris:** and i’m not horny, i just want to see my friends

**Ricardo:** okay so it’s not a massive crush on one of our friends 

**Stanley Uris:** stfu

**Ricardo:** love you too

**-**

**The Loners**

**Eddie:** Guys

**Eddie:** I have been abducted 

**Billy:** No you weren’t

**Mikey:** Should we rescue you?

**Billy:** He wasn’t 

**Billy:** Bev and I went at his and took him with us

**Stan:** You can argue your case but that’s still a kidnapping.

**Eddie:** Plus they aren’t allowing me to ride my own bike

**Richie:** Who’s riding it?

**Eddie:** Bev

**Benny:** wait why is Billy texting then

**Billy:** Calm down, I’m in control

**Stan:** He can choose between suicide or an accident. Totally in control.

**Richie:** i think Stan is going to be the one running over Big Bill

**Mikey:** okay i’m going to leave soon

**Benny:** i’ll get ready

**Bevvie:** i’m gonna die soon

**Bevvie:** y doya need to get ready u still naked

**Benny:** Bev, love, don’t text while riding a bike

**Benny:** and i need to get ready because i haven’t done anything today so i’m still in pjs

**Stan:** Better than Eddie’s exhibitionism.

**Eddie:** It happened once!!!!!

**Bevvie** : this story is ridiculous 

**Mikey:** for goodness’ sake Beverly don’t text

**Billy:** I’m a superior being

**Richie:** Welcome in the gang, ive been waiting for u

**Stan:** Richie, text me when you get going.   
  



	6. The Quarry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The seven friends gather around at the Quarry. The Menu today is drama, love and tears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is a lot of swearing in this chapter. Be prepared. Also it’s long. Extremely long compared to the first ones. I hope you will enjoy reading it. Starting this chapter the story will get consequently darker and a theme of Horror will start.
> 
> TW: self-harm, abuse, suicide

Billy looked over his shoulder to make sure Eddie was okay. He had been awfully silent for a while. Bev was a few feet ahead. Billy could easily have caught up to her but he did not want to make Eddie freak out by going fast.

“I think Ben is going to crush pretty hard on Mike for the next year at least.”

Eddie wiggled behind him so he turned his head a little to observe the frail boy. Eddie remarked the gaze of Bill on his back which made him freeze immediately. He paused for a second to process what he had heard and finally answered:

“Really? How can you tell?”

His voice was a little too high to be considered normal. It was almost like he was scared of something.

“I’ll show you the texts later. But act like you didn’t know. Anyway. Right now my priority is you. Are you okay?”

Eddie tried to turn around which made the bicycle swing dangerously from one side to another. Bev yelled something with sounded roughly like be careful.

“I lied to you. My mom did not put my clothes in the laundry. I did.”

Billy slowed down to distance himself from the girl in front of them. He knew Beverly could be trusted but he was not sure if Eddie was okay with her hearing their conversation. Maybe not now. 

“In fact I don’t have a clue about where she is. She left a few days ago without a word. Bill, don’t make fun of me but I’m freaking out.”

Bill wanted to squeeze his friend’s hand and reassure him, tell him that everything was going to be okay but it would have been inconvenient to do it while riding a bike. And again Eddie would probably scream if he did.

“Eddie. I will never make fun of you. You are like a little brother to me, I will always try to protect you.”

“I’m older than you by a few months, he retorted.”

Billy laughed as he sped up. Bev looked a bit tired a red flush had covered her cheeks, when she saw the boys zooming before her she felt discouraged. Nobody could beat Bill when it came to sports, nobody from their little group at least.

“Still my little brother, just like Bevvie is my little sister. You are all my family.”

Eddie chuckled softly, almost as if he thought being too loud would hurt the boy riding the bike.

“Yeah. Family. Well usually you don’t love your family the way you love him.”

Billy felt a cold sweat go through his body. He knew exactly who Eddie was talking about. 

“You can talk. Your eyes look like hearts every time you see him. I swear last time I saw saliva come out of your mouth as you stared at him.”

“I did not salivate, Eddie yelled in a whiny voice.”

Bev seemed quite far away now. From time to time they would deviate a little from their original trajectory and Eddie’s hand would tighten against the bike causing his palms to go white and Bill to try to slow down a little. Soon they arrived at the quarry. Eddie jumped off and sat on an old tree that had fallen to the ground.

“The others texted, they are all on their way.”

Billy nodded to show he heard the boy. His eyes trailed off over the side of the road Richie and Stanley were going to come from. Knowing Stan he could safely assume they went through the road though they could cross the woods like Mike and Ben were probably going to do, because the woods were dirty and Stan was going to be dressed smartly and he would never ever endanger his clothes’ lives.

Bev arrived after a few minutes. Her cheeks were as red as blood, the effort had drained every single bit of energy in her body. When she noticed Bill’s longingly staring at the road she felt a sharp pain in her chest, like if little thorns attacked her. She turned her head toward Eddie but he seemed just as down and lonely as Bill, he had his glance fixed on the ground and he had not noticed her yet.

“If only you knew, she muttered quietly as to be the only one to hear herself.”

She looked over the woods. Luckily Ben was being less of an idiot with the new kid. Stanley arrived before Richie, in fact Stanley arrived exactly at the time they had planned to meet looking just as exhausted as Beverly when she reached the meeting place.

“Did you dump Richie somewhere, she sneered as she handed him a handkerchief to wipe his sweaty forehead.”

The boys walked closer. Beverly tried not to smile when she saw Bill obviously trying to get closer to Stan. He had wrapped his arm around his neck and kind of stood awkwardly at his side.

“I hope not, you cannot dispose of garbage in random places. Look I’m still waiting to drop mine off, he laughed while pointing at Eddie.”

The boy riposted with a kick. Bill careful dodged it, forcing Stan to get closer in order not to get hit by the short-tempered boy. Bill smirked at the sight of the small boy trying, and failing, to look threatening. He was going to mess with his hair when he felt Stan’s touch his. Bill hoped the warmth he felt on his cheek did not announce the presence of this atrocious red blush.

“Oh, Eddie said while looking behind them, Richie is here.”

A silent agreement seemed to have been passed around: nobody commented on his beaten up face. Beverly was kind of relieved to see it wasn’t as bad as she thought. She would teach him to cover it up, at least to go out; even if she did not, Eddie would have taught him. She turned around to look at the latter. 

Bev could have sworn the kid that had just attacked his friends and the one that went toward Richie were two different people. One had a deep frown on his face, with a pouting face and a scary look; the other one had a fond look, wide but shy smile and pink ears. But as soon as Richie opened his mouth this enamoured expression faded to be replaced by exasperation. 

“Damn Stan, if I had known you were this lean I would have let you top me last time.”

Beverly winced. She would rather have not heard this disgusting trash talk about sex. Much less sex with her best friends. Especially not Stanley Uris of all people. Stanley Uris and Richard Tozier… She shivered. Nuh-uh, she still had to wrap her head around the whole Eddie and Richie thing.

“Beep Beep Richie, she sighed, unable to ever forget the words that came out of Richie’s mouth.”

Richie smirked, proud of his vulgar joke and totally unaware of the bad looks he got from both Bill and Stan. Bill’s hand had left the boy’s body. He had not really moved but it was obvious they had kind of drifted apart.

“Do you have a death wish you tiny pimp, Stan whispered in an annoyed voice.”

Just as he finished Ben and Mike biked over. Ben had a stupid grin all over his face, Bev would need to talk tonight, and seeing Eddie’s slightly disgusted face she guessed more than one conversation would keep her busy. Mike was the first one to jump off his bike. His legs were covered in scratches, probably from going through the woods. Mother Nature could be a bitch.

“Hello.”

For most of the friends it was the first time to see Mike. He was a bit taller than Bill and looked probably as handsome. He smiled as widely as Ben, they suited each other with their happy faces. His skin was pretty dark, and even if it was winter Bev was pretty sure some of it’s darkness was caused by tanning. Eddie’s mother would have had a stroke if her son had tanned in this season.

In fact she would have had a stroke seeing Mike’s naked arms. Ben would certainly not mind seeing the ripped body. And he would certainly see it entirely when he would go swimming.

“Hey buddy, Bill said, now I can properly introduce you to those losers. That’s Bev, she looks less like a girl than Eddie– The small one– but she’s our girl. That’s Stan, he is younger than us, and here’s Richie.”

Eddie barely kept himself from hitting Bill. Mike awkwardly looked at them, not knowing what to do, after the “kiss” accident he wasn’t going to take the initiative.

“Come here, Bev said while opening her arms for a hug.”

Mike looked perplexed for a moment so she pulled him into a hug and suddenly his eyes lightened up. Eddie came next, then Richie but Stan asked for a handshake. Bill hugged him too but Mike seemed not so eager to do so and pulled away a bit too quickly. Bill did not realise the boy seemed to be running away like this.

“I invited you because I wanted to swim so that what I’m going to do now.”

As soon as he had finished Bill took off everything he wore, except a swimsuit he had probably put on before Beverly came over. He stuffed them in his backpack and threw it at Stan’s face.

“Keep it safe for me.”

Richie made fun of Bill’s cheesiness as he undressed. His underpants had a banana print on them with would have been cute if he did not start flirting with Bev as soon as he had been left with them only. Eddie walked back to the tree’s trunk followed by Stan and Ben. Mike took his clothes off too and the three boys jumped in the water without even looking back at Beverly.

It gave her enough time to think about the own underwear. Usually they would come without even planning it. They walked aimlessly, ended up here so they all swam in their boxer shorts. But of course today Bill wore a real swimsuit, and of course the new kid had one too. Ben seemed to have noticed her hesitation and he handed her a black shirt. 

“It’s Bill’s but I’m sure he won’t mind. Eddie has a spare if needed anyway.”

She accepted it gladly. and walked over a bush to change. She knew one of them would even look at her. If Richie was “more or less attracted to whatever the fuck walked” as he said none of the other boys were anywhere closer to straight than that. She had suspected Stan to be bisexual but he was totally uninterested by her. Yet since she had moved with her aunt it had become less and less tolerable for her to be looked at by anyone. Fear took over so badly, once she had a panic attack after her aunt came into the bathroom without knocking. 

When she finished changing she joined the three boys. The water was even colder than what she had expected but it felt nice and as soon as she submerged herself in the water the coldness was no longer a problem. Bill grabbed her waist and pulled her up to throw her in the air. She screamed, her cry instantly changing into a giggle as she tried to stand up. A loud scream alerted her that Richie had shared the same experience. Looking up she observed a tension between Bill and Mike as they wrestled. She heard some cheering noises coming from Richie to encourage Mike. To compensate she yelled as loudly as she could to help Bill. He smirked and as he looked up, expecting to win, he was overthrown by Mike. He flew high in the air and fell back near her. 

On the tree, Eddie played with Bill’s small plushies hanging from the zipper of his bag. Stan had reluctantly given it to him with an exasperated sigh. Ben stared at the small group playing in the water, he could not help but look at one person in particular.

“Guys, don’t tell Richie, not yet, well maybe not ever, but I think I have a crush on Mike.”

Stanley had arched an eyebrow. Maybe it was incomprehension or just surprise but Ben still struggled to understand what his faces meant so he could not understand it. Eddie was easier to read, he screamed all his thoughts.

“Wait? Really? Should we help you? I can fake falling and push you on top of him.”

“You are certainly not going to do that young wo– young lad. In this house we do not accept depravity.”

If Richie has been here he would have defended his sacred depravity with all his life but with his absence meant Stan could do what he wanted, and even if he had been here Stan did not care for one more murder in order to get his point across.

“Don’t joke around guys. I really like him. He is just so sweet with me. Yesterday he accidentally kissed me and…”

He got interrupted by a choked noise coming out of his friends’ throats.

“He what now, Eddie had asked while covering his mouth.”

“In France there is this thing called the bise where people greet each other by kissing the other’s cheeks. He said depending on the region you live in the number of bises you have to do is different. Anyway he started kissing my cheek and I turned to stone. I was so stiff he stopped immediately feeling something was wrong.”

Stan silently listened but Ben knew from the clouds in his eyes that he was very critical of Mike.

“And? What next, Eddie eagerly asked.”

“He was flustered. He apologised so many times, I swear… Fast forward a couple hours he had to go back home, since we only share this one class I asked him if he wanted to hang out this Wednesday. And I will try to make up an excuse to see him again after.”

Eddie hugged him with a grin across his face.

“You have your target, that’s going to be easy from now on. You only need to capture him.”

The vague shadow of a smile appeared on Stan’s face.

“You’re the one to talk.”

Eddie scoffed. Ben could not keep himself from smiling at the boys’ constant bickering.

“That’s the pot calling the kettle black.”

“Well at least I am not hiding myself so deep in the closet I fucking vanished.”

“Eddie, you are literally not even out. Are you giving me shit for it when you did not do it? Plus I simply cannot come out. Except if you want me dead.”

Ben knew as soon as he had said it Eddie had regretted it. He was always preaching acceptance but he used Stan’s inability to come out to harass him.

“I’m sorry Stan. I shouldn’t have said that... How can I be so dumb? Why am I so shitty?”

Ben took both of the boys’ hand.

“Let’s not get mad at each other.”

Stan laced his fingers with Eddie.

“I am sorry Eddie. I did not mean what I said either. I just wanted to hurt you.”

Eddie frowned a little.

“I saw you grab some dirt on the floor and I am pretty sure you did not wash your hand or even use gel, yet you dare touch me?”

Stan started to reply, his eyebrows were knitted and the corners of his mouths were down but Bev’s arrival caused them to shut up as she used her hair to make them wet. Eddie let out a scream of terror as he ran away. Ben could not escape the crazy hair’s attacks so he pushed Stan in front of him. Stan calmly asked Bev to stop because he was wearing a white shirt. But it was a bit too late; though not entirely his shirt had a lot of drops of water on it.

Bill got out next. He was shivering and quickly put his sweat back on, a bit saddened by the disappearance of his shirt. When he saw Stan’s shirt he told him to exchange it for his sweat, at least it was dry. At first Stanley said no but he accepted as soon as Bev’s red hair came closer to his face. Then the two other swimmers came out. They had blue lips and looked ready to freeze but they did not complain unlike Eddie who had started to make a fuss about his not-so-drenched clothes which were going to make him sick for a week.

Ben’s eyes met Beverly, from her insistent glance he knew she wanted to talk to him but he wanted to talk to Mike. He seemed to have been having fun with the others and Ben could not help but feel jealous.

“The water is so cold, I don’t understand how you guys can swim... As the years go by you are becoming less and less sane.”

Mike handed him his towel. It was yellow and had Michael embroidered on it. Ben politely declined it. He wasn’t et enough to steal it from the shivering boy.

“It’s okay. You use it. I’m not the one that went swimming, I don’t need it. The wind will dry my clothes.”

Mike’s lips were pressed against one another which made him look younger. He started by drying his hair. Ben has to look away not to blush at the sight of his body. When he could focus on talking it was okay but just looking felt awkward. When he looked away he saw Eddie struggling to get away from Richie who was running in his banana boxer shorts trying to hug the smaller boy. Stan was smiling, he was sitting on the tree trunk with Bill’s hand on his shoulder. Beverly laughed at her idiots.

“Let’s go to my house, Eddie said while stopping in front of Bill to protect himself from the big mean wolf pursuing him.”

“Isn’t Sonia home, Stan asked, because she surely will never accept us coming in her house like this.”

This referred to Richie who was dirty and had no change of clothes, but Stan knew how to phrase things not to hurt him.

“She isn’t, Bill answered while locking eyes with Eddie, otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to steal her boy. She went out for a while. We can go back and I will help Eddie clean up afterwards. No biggie as long as everybody shuts up.”

Eddie tried to keep a poker face but relief covered his face.

“Can I ride my bike on the way back?”

“Absolutely not, Bev yelled, I am not going to let you.”

Eddie looked at Billy with imploring eyes. Maybe if he was cute enough he would be able to convince one of them to let him bike. 

“Well I can ride with someone behind me, so if you can have someone sit behind me then it’s fine by me.”

Eddie turned to Richie who immediately refused to trade his bike. Ben seemed quite uncomfortable and Mike did not seem very eager to spend the whole trip behind Bill. So he turned to Stan. 

“Will you lend your bike to me? Pretty please.”

Stan looked at Bill, then at Richie, and back at Eddie.

“Sure.”

He seemed to be a bit red, Eddie assumed it was from the cold wind. Beverly hopped on the bike and left, Ben and Mike joined her. Richie was still drenched, his clothes were sticking to his body so he struggled to get on his bike and when he started to follow the lead there were a few instances where he almost fell. Eddie happily rode behind him. Stan awkwardly looked at Bill, his hand were fidgeting so much Bill thought he would need to stop him.

“We should probably leave now. Don’t be scared, I will be even more careful than when I had Eddie behind and God knows how careful that is.”

Stanley really wanted to say that was not the problem but he could not.

“Maybe I can just walk?”

“Are you kidding me, there is like 4 miles between here and my house–and Eddie’s. How long will it take you to even get there?”

Stan bit his lips. Bill was right, he was trying to avoid him so he had thought of an irrational solution. 

“I get it. Be careful or I’ll hit you.”

Bill smiled and grabbed his waist to pull him closer. He felt embarrassed by his own actions but he wanted to be closer to Stan so badly shame could be ignored.

“You won’t.”

Stan pushed him away softly. He knew the other boy was right, he would never hit him. They got on the bike without any further words exchanged. Unlike Eddie, Stanley faced his back which would have made it easier for Bill to pedal if it wasn’t for the fact that he held onto Bill by wrapping his arms around his midriff. From the warmth that had invaded his ears and cheeks Bill had understood he was blushing; he was used to it by now, it had happened for the first time with Bev and then after some time it surprised him by happening when he was with Stan.

He had not understood why the first time it occurred with Stanley. They were at the library, Stan was looking through pictures of birds and Bill was reading a new horror book he had just found. Stan had accompanied him without saying anything about it even if he had a lot of homework to do. He simply sat there quietly flipping through the pages of his book. Bill had looked up, the light that came out the window gave a very light colour to Stan’s hair. His cheeks had started to fill themselves with this pink colour that would never leave him entirely.

Stan too was nervous. He had known Bill for years but now it was different. Because no matter how hard it was for him to say it, he had fallen head over heels for Bill. At first it was not too noticeable, he had started to want to spend more time alone with him, then he had craved the feeling of his body, but when he felt jealousy he knew he was done for. Bill was not the brightest so it was easy to hide it from him but Richie, of all people, had seen through his facade. the Richie who could not even handle his crush on Eddie properly. Richie who was riding ahead of them and tried to make Eddie fall off the bike. Richie who could not help but be a flirtatious bastard.

It was not like the others would have been better. At least Richie was able to listen, really listen. He never gave his opinion, nor his advice, he thought it was better for Stan to figure out his life on his own. But he was always here, not matter how late or early Stan needed him. No matter how exhausted he was, no matter how he felt: he was here. Stan could not wish to have a better friend and he hoped he could help almost as much. 

“So, Bill said, what are you up to lately? You barely hung out with me lately.”

“Not much I guess, just working, Stan replied, Why? Do you miss me this much already?”

Bill laughed. Stan could feel him moving, his stomach especially. He tried not to this about it too much.

“Yup. I miss you, and your terrible sleep-deprived eyes.”

Stan hit the smooth talker’s back with his fist, making the bike unbalanced.

“Be careful big boy.”

“I am Bill but I had to punish you.”

“Oh really? You had to punish me?”

Stanley’s face went bright red. It sounded really weird once he had actually said it and Bill repeating it with his deep voice was ended up making it sound very erotic and flirty and now he was going to be happy and gets his hopes up for a doomed story.

“You know it’s not what I meant. It is what I said though so there’s that.”

Bill did not answer. His throat hurt him. He had been brave enough to tease Stanley but he was not ever going to do it again if it ended up backfiring.

“Bill. I know I am being a burden but I think I will have to crash at your house sometime in the near future. Richie already knows it. I can’t tell you why now, even Richie doesn’t know the full story. I will tell Ben, Bev and Eddie later.”

Stan voice was weak, it was ready to break. He clutched Bill’s sweat. 

“You can trust me. I want to make sure you know it. You can stay as long as you want in my house, I’ll make sure my dad is okay with it. Besides Georgie loves you guys so he wouldn’t mind sharing his brother with you.”

Stan was finally able to relax a little and chuckled. He did not need to share Bill with Georgie, because the love he felt towards him was so much different.

“We are almost there, Bill observed.”

Stan smiled. Everything was so simple with Bill most of the time. He seemed to understand the boundaries Stan set up, to always get him. He inhaled with his nose, he could smell the strong cologne Bill was wearing and it reassured him. He wished this moment could last forever, that he did not need to go back home to his parents.

They caught up to Richie and Eddie who were riding side by side while chatting. They were absorbed by their conversation about their latest biology assignment, Richie seemed to make fun of it while Eddie defended it strongly.

“You can not just say that! It is utter garbage. No. No. No. I will not allow you to joke about that.”

“Come on Eds, it’s just a pun. Don’t make such a big deal out of it.”

Stan wondered what caused Eddie to have become this red. It would have been fun to compare Bev’s hair to his face.

“Oh. I forgot about it, he said, Eddie, we had to dye your hair. But you cancelled last minute. Do you want to do it now?”

Richie suddenly stopped. The three boys had to turn around to make sure he was okay. Bill felt his heart break as he looked at Richie. He was ready to tear up. 

“What’s wrong, he asked without getting an answer.”

Stan got off the bike and went over Richie while gesturing at the boys to go away. As soon as they were out of sight, Richie crumbled. He wrapped his arms around Stanley and let out the ugliest, loudest sobs he ever heard. They came out straight from the deepest part of his soul. Stan tried to focus more on his friend than the fact that they were on the middle of the road.

“It’s okay to cry, do it if you need to.”

“Little…B-bitch… I was…was lit-terally the one com…comfirting you l-last time. Quit the bullshit.”

Even when he was the one that was miserable enough to give up living he was still able to joke around, it made Stan a bit jealous. But he was used to being jealous of his friends at this point.

“So, the little bitch would like to know why the big pimp is being such a cry baby.”

“I am not, Richie whined with less difficulty to talk, I am liberating my inner feelings.”

Stan tried to keep his laughter in his throat but it escaped furtively. He rubbed Richie’s back hoping it would comfort his friend.

“I think I’m just having a melt down because I am stressed out.”

“Oh. That’s not true though Richard. That’s so far from the truth. You are so carefree, the only thing I ever saw you get worried about is... Eddie. Deny it all you want, you can not keep those feelings to yourself. How long has it been already?”

Stan knee it was quite hypocritical. He had loved Bill for an important number of years now. The worst part about his feelings was that, like Richie, it would probably never fade and it seemed just impossible to cultivate a loving, healthy relationship.

“I am sorry Stan. I can’t. I can’t take it. It’s just too much. My chest is in so much pain. Every single fucking time I see him I feel like I am going to fucking die. I just can’t bear it. I love him. I love him so so much and if he ever learns it, I am so going to hell.”

This time the tears that rolled down his cheeks did not prevent him from speaking. 

“It hurts. My head is a mess. I just want it to end Stan. I need it to end. Or I won’t make it.”

Suddenly a cold sweat went down Stan’s spine.

“Undress, he ordered in his coldest voice, undress. Now.”

Richie looked perturbed at first, he hesitated to refuse but Stan’s defying glance was enough to convince him to obey. So he took off his clothes, keeping only his drenched banana boxer shorts.

“I said undress, he said while gritting his teeth.”

This time Richie has to say something, he did not care that much about walking around in his briefs but this was definitely too much. If someone came they would probably be really disturbed and disgusted by this naked boy on the middle of the road and his voyeur friend. And maybe he had another reason not to want to.

“I am not going to take his underwear off. If you want to see me naked just wait until we get home.”

“I am not joking, Stan yelled.”

His face had suddenly became as red as blood. Richie was scared. Stan was mean, he always said things directly but he rarely got mad. He almost never raised his voice. Yet now he was so angry, his eyes were blood-shoot and his face showed a mix of concern and aggressiveness. Richie slowly took off his underwear, he tried to hide his penis by purity but Stan did not care about that at all.

“Why?”

Richie kept silent, he felt Stan’s gaze examining his skinny thighs. He had no answers to give. It just had been that way and no explanation could ever really make him understand, much less anyone else.

“Why Richie, Why?”

If Stan could have grabbed collar he would have but he could not do he kicked the bike. Richie tried no to move but his eyes obviously showed more concern for his bike than for his friend or even himself.

“I am sorry. I promise I won’t do it again.”

Stanley looked back at him with a smirk on his lips but tears on his cheek.

“Really? Really Tozier? You promised so many times now! I am not that fucking stupid. You keep saying it’s the last time! You keep lying! Every single time! I can see them! I can feel them on my own body, hurting like hell. Why! Why!”

Richie closed his eyes. He needed Stanley’s shouting to be distant. He needed to forget about it.

“Stan. Let’s go.”

He quickly put on his clothes without opening his eyes and when he felt ready he got on the bike and rode off without Stanley. He arrived quickly since they were only a few meters away from Eddie’s house. When his friends saw him arrive, with his clothes very badly put back on and his red eyes they wondered what happened and why Stan was nowhere to be found.

“Richie, go upstairs, Bev said, We only need to put your clothes in the washing machine.”

He gave her a ridiculous smile. It looked like he had tasted a very acid lemon but he could not care less. Bev helped him get upstairs by wrapping her arms around his lanky body.

“Okay, she exclaimed when they entered the bathroom, let’s get rid of those dirty clothes.”

He felt his body stiffen brutally. She was staring at him for sure, trying to figure him out, to find out where his weaknesses were, on his wrists maybe? Or his stomach? Was it his neck?

“I can do it alone. Don’t worry Bev. You should go look for Stan. I was a dick to him.”

She was about to leave when she realised she needed to ask something.

“Are you going to apologise?”

He was bewildered by the question, which was no wonder seeing how her tone had made him think he did something to her.

“I’m sorry what?”

“To Stan. Are you planning on apologising to him is you were a dick?”

He shrugged. It was not really is fault. Stan was the one that freaked out for nothing. He knew what he was doing and he did not need another father.

“Maybe. Get going. I won’t disappear.”

She went back downstairs. He put his clothes in the washing machine and put the powder. He had slept over a few times already so he knew how to use and the settings were relatively easy to choose. When he heard the sound of the clothes moving inside he got in the shower and washed himself. His legs were so dirty because he had ran half-naked; the water had a earthy colour.

“Why am I so stupid?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s your mom’s fault.”

Richie almost jumped when Eddie had started talking. He quickly drawn the curtain he had left open. Eddie frowned, this was weird. Richie had never really cared about others seeing him naked.

“I came to put a new set of clothes here. They’re Bill’s so they may be a bit big for you but it’s better than mine’s. Anyway, I’ll take my leave.”

Richie did not answer so Eddie left. He went downstairs, Stanley had just arrived. He looked just as haggard as Richie. He had red eyes too and his hands were so dirty they were black.

“Are you okay, he asked, well rather than are you okay I should ask if you need anything?”

Stan looked down at Eddie. He looked scared, like a doe when it meets a car. Eddie wanted to give him a hug to comfort him. To kiss him and take take of him. But He knew if he did he would immediately get yelled at so he let him have some space. Ben’s voice called from the kitchen.

“Do you realise most of the food here has to be thrown out, he yelled as soon as the host came in.”

“Does it, Eddie answered sheepishly, I am going to do it.”

When he looked at the date on the food Ben threw to him he almost let out a shriek of disgust. It had probably started to rot already, he could imagine it turning into a smelly, blueish pile of root. He tried to endure it, he took the garbage out and put everything Ben handed him in it. Relief overcome him when he finally went outside to throw it out.

When he came in he almost ran into Bev and Billy. She looked terrifying, a deep frown had took over her head and her mouth seemed ready to twist. Bill was biting his lips and Eddie knew he would probably have bit them until he bleed if he could.

Billy glanced at Eddie to make sure he went inside. Bev took out a cigarette and a lighter. When she inhaled the smoke he could imagine, almost feel, the sensation in his own lungs. It had been a while since he last smoked. She exhaled and made a circle of smoke.

“Something is wrong with this fucking city, she spat, I am sure of it. They think I don’t know, I don’t see, but I do. And it hurts. Doesn’t it? It hurts to see them talk secretly, not to hurt us. And the fridge! Don’t lie to me, Sonia hasn’t been here in a while. What is wrong with the adults here! I swear… Okay. Calming down. But. Have you seen Richie’s legs. Water make clothes float.The underwear. It floats. So he can try to hide it all he wants I will know. And it will hurt me.”

The scars. Bill knew them very well. It had started two years ago. 

“Gimme.”

He gestured to the cigarette. Her frown was so deep her eyebrows would soon touch her lips. She reluctantly gave it to him. They looked inside where they had left the others. Mike smiled as he looked at Ben who had started cleaning the entire house, Eddie followed him like a duckling sticking to its mother. When he had moved in he had sworn he would not fall in love with the first boy he met and he felt like falling in love with one of the best friends of the first boy he met was already an upgrade, not as good as he expected but good enough.

“Oh my god. Stanley. Where is Stan, Ben shrieked a few minutes after going in the bathroom.”

Mike walked over quickly. He stared at the pitch black shower plug Eddie had in his hand. His face was twisted so badly anyone could believe he was going to throw up. His nose was so wrinkle he looked like a pug. Stanley stumbled over. He looked a little bit better since he had showered but his eyes were now bright red. His face was wet, he probably wiped some tears before he came in.

“What happened? Why is it so dirty? Eddie, are you even aware that you need to clean it? Give it to me.”

He took it from the smaller boy and immediately went to the kitchen to clean it. Ben stared at Eddie. He was fidgeting, his sight went from one thing to another every two seconds. He was uncomfortable, sometimes was bothering him and he would not say it. Continuing to walk around would lead to Eddie freaking out and ending up crying therefore he concluded the best option was to settle down in the living-room.

“Where is Richie, he asked while walking down the stairs, followed by Mike and Eddie.”

None of them knew. Mike said he last saw him going in the bathroom, Eddie had talked to him after when he brought him a change of clothes. They say on the sofa. They turned the TV on and started switching channels to finally settle on a news channel. Bev came in and sat on the floor in front of Mike.

“So dear, are you not too bored by those two?”

Mike laughed and turned to Ben. He damned himself for having those loving eyes when he looked at him. Beverly smiled and gave him a knowing look. He had been found out. He tried to keep smiling but her glance was terrifying.

“No, I am having fun. It’s okay. Beside we went pretty crazy before so being calm and just hanging out is just as fun because it’s also relaxing.”

Bill came in. Mike glared at him. He was jealous, so jealous. And it got worse once Bill asked Ben to go outside with him. They left as Stan returned. He went next to Bev and put his head on her crossed legs. He looked exhausted. She turned the television off. 

“Oh, Eddie yelped, my new palette. Wait here, I’ll go get it.”

He got up and run upstairs. When he opened the door he almost jumped, Richie was comfortably buried in his covers. Eddie hesitated to scream at him then he remembered when he was in the bathroom and Richie sounded so out of it. So he walked over him sat on his side. His hair was curly because he just showered, he looked so peaceful when he had his eyes closed and his mouth shut.

“Why am I like this, Eddie asked, why do I feel like this. You put stars in my eyes and it sucks. You make me laugh so freaking much. You make me feel strange. There is this spiky thing in my chest, every time you talk it gets even more spiky. It hurts. You suck. You suck so much. But I suck more.”

He suddenly realised what he was doing and like if the bed had burned him he jumped in his toes and grabbed the palette before he got away. Richie was not asleep and he had carefully listened to everything Eddie had said. And it made him happy but in this happiness there was also anger. Not matter what happened, Eddie could never be happy with him. He was a broken mess. Nobody could be happy next to him.

Bill tried not to yell. He tried really hard because the bewildered look he got from Ben already showed he lost the boy and yelling would do them no good.

“I told you, I think Richie is in a bad time, ignore my warning and next thing we know we’ll see him at the hospital because he cut his arms.”

Ben blinked and stayed silent. His lack of reaction was getting on Bill’s nerve. He had worked really hard to get rid of his stutter and he knew most of the time he did stutter but his friends simply choose to show no care but right now he knew he was ready to fall back into the yelling and stuttering. 

“Say something. I am telling you one of your best friends is hurting himself, you can’t just stand here and stare.”

Ben wanted to make Bill calm down. He smelled like cigarette and it was hard to focus on anything else. He wanted to say something, really, but it was hard to formulate a proper sentence. 

“I am thinking, I don’t know what to say, I don’t know what to do. Is Stan okay? Do you they talked about it? Their fight could be about that. Should I go talk to Richie?”

It was confusing. Maybe even more than the first few times he saw the scars. Back then he had hope it would get better, that he would find a way out of the spiral of negativity but it had been years already and nothing happened, no changes were made.

“Beverly thinks I should talk to them. Since I know it well enough.”

Ben tried not to look at Bill’s arms. His own scars were barely visible now but everyone knew they were there and it would never change. 

“That’s probably the best option. I don’t know how to handle him, I haven’t lived it.”

The boys had nothing to add on the subject so they stood awkwardly there, in front of the house.

“I think I should tell you. Eddie will kill me. Anyway. Sonia left him. We don’t know where she is. Beverly figured it out so I think maybe you were going to and it’s better if I tell you. He probably never planned on telling you so I have to do it. Because I want to make sure he is okay.”

“Don’t you think it’s funny how our lives are such messes. I am fine for now. I can’t say for you. Bev has a shit dad. Eddie has a shit mom. Stan is a mess and we don’t know why. Richie can’t handle himself. Damn even Mike has his own shit.”

“Honestly, we should swear less.”

Bill laughed. He wanted things to go right but life was against him lately. Eddie and Stanley were struggling and they had difficulties talking to him. Now Richie was falling back into this land of despair he found in middle school. 

“Let’s go back inside, I think Mike is going to kill me so I will go home soon. He shot me the deadliest of glare.”

He had noticed it when they got to Eddie’s house that Mike was very cold toward him. At first he thought it was just a remain of the shyness he felt from the Friday they met but it seemed to be more than that. He easily talked to the others but he barely talked to him, and when he did he seemed pissed.

“Please stay. I am sure you are overthinking it. Plus if I don’t know what to say and I end up being annoying I need you to save me. Oh, God. I am going to make a fool out of myself. Really, don’t leave. I’m obnoxious as hell, if you go home, I’ll end up crying on your doorstep.”

Bill smiled and pushed Ben forward without answering, he did not want to lie and he knew he could not promise to stay in this house with Mike looking at him this way. He was not scared but he did not want to stir up trouble.

When Richie went to the bathroom he heard the front door close and Bill’s voice filled the staircase. The boy hurriedly closed the door behind him and looked at the mirror on top of the faucet. He looked terrible again. His eyes were always puffy lately from all crying. Pain suddenly struck his legs. He felt weak and for a moment he thought he would collapse.

Somebody knocked.

“Can I come in, Stan asked in a soft voice.”

Richie hesitated to open the door but he knew it would be childish to ignore him. When Stan came in he realised something was wrong from the way Richie stood awkwardly in the room his hands crossed on his chest with tears coming to his eyes.

“I wanted to apologise. I was harsh to you. I love you so much and seeing you hurt makes me so mad. And I hate you for not taking care of yourself more.”

“Is that even an apology?”

“Shut up trashmouth, I love you. That’s why I want you to be happy. And you won’t be if you keep beating yourself up. Anyway. Let’s make you bearable to look at and we will go downstairs.”

Stanley gave him a cotton he put under warm water and instructed him to use it for his eyes. Richie did not exactly understand how it helped but the contented look on Stan’s face made him feel like maybe he could go downstairs. 

“Before we go... I need you to keep me from Eddie. I don’t want to break him.”

Stanley tried to keep his face neutral but maybe his eyes had become a bit larger and maybe his lips had twitched a little because when he heard his best friend being this mistaken on himself he could not help but feel miserable. He took his friend’s hand and pressed it.

“You are not going to break him. He is not fragile. He could probably beat your ass.”

Richie chuckled, his friend was right. He could not acknowledge it, he was too proud to accept the fact that he was wrong, but it was true that Eddie could handle all of them at once. He was a fierce warrior when he was not busy slaying his makeup. They went downstairs and found the group chatting, or more exactly making fun of Beverly’s poor attempt at doing Ben’s makeup.

“Move aside, Eddie finally said after having spent ten minutes cringing.”

Bev sighed but she had to accept the fact that she was terrible at putting on makeup. She could manage a little bit of lipstick and some blush but a full face was too hard to do. Eddie shoved her aside by kicking her butt with his own which caused her to fall over. The boys tried to hold in their laughter when she faked being dead.

“Close your eyes, Eddie ordered.”

Richie smiled, the authoritarian Eddie was one of the best Eddies. He knew what he was doing, he knew what he wanted and he knew how to obtain it. He was whipped. So whipped. Stanley gave him a nudge and a smirk covered his face. He was being obvious. Again. But Stanley was no one to judge. He was leaning on Bill who had wrapped his arm around his waist.

“Look up, Eddie said.”

He was very careful, his brush seemed to be an extension of his fingers, he moved it without hesitation, it seemed like it was natural for him. He finished applying the eyeshadows and finished with the liner. He stuck his tongue out to concentrate, causing an eruption of laughter in the room.

“Oh, I will get some food and sodas from my house, Bill said as soon as he calmed down.”

“Wait for me, I will help you, Stan proposed.”

Bill helped him get up and they went outside. The sun was starting to set and it was cold. Some sort of fog had covered the neighbourhood and their breath seemed to disappear in it. Stan had left his coat inside and he immediately missed the warmth it brought him.

“My dad isn’t home yet, you can stay a little if you want. I know you are tired, from the Richie incident.”

“I am not a kid, I know my limits. You shouldn’t worry about it. I became a fine, strong man.”

“Yeah, sure, Stan the man. But men can be tired. Anyone can be tired. Even I am sometimes. When I am tired I usually call one of you and ask to come over because you make me feel so much better.”

Stanley remembered all those calls he answered, all those times Bill had been to his house and ranted about his day. After his parents’ divorce he had spent a lot of time away from his house. He went at Ben’s for almost a week, Eddie’s for almost two nights (which was already a miracle when Sonia was in charge), Stan’s for three days and Bev had been able to welcome him for an afternoon.

“Bill. I am going to cry. I hate you.”

Bill laughed wholeheartedly and grabbed his friend’s shoulder. His grin was strong and reassuring and being held by this loving boy made Stan wish things could be simpler.

“You can cry on my shoulder.”

Bill hesitated for an instant but he wanted to be brave so he added:

“Don’t worry baby, you’re safe with me.”

Stanley could not see clearly, his sight was blurry but he was pretty sure Bill had winked. 

“Remember that one time we watched Emo the musical at my house, well right now I am dreaming about you singing Safe with me...”

“We fit Electrified much better but if you want to I can sing it.”

“Bill. I think we need to get the snacks. Otherwise Ben will hate us forever.”

Bev has always been impatient. She never got mad when people were late, she accepted the fact that some people were less obsessed with time than she was. But every single time she kept making up stories in her head about the reasons which could have caused one’s slowness.

Therefore when she looked at her watch and saw that Stan had left with Bill ten minutes ago she wondered what could have happened that had made them stay out for so long. Her first guess was that they had finally confessed their love to one another and had started making out. But she knew them well enough to say they were not going to do it, not today at least. They had to take things slow, because it was new for Stan and foreign for Bill.

Then she hypothesised that Stan had broken down, he had already cried when he had walked home so he could end up failing to keep a good face. Or maybe it was Bill, the determined one, he had walked away from smoking and today had brought his bad habit back.

“How long have they been gone for, she asked.”

Eddie and Richie were bickering in a corner while Ben and Mike talked about fashion and how it changed from a place to another, Beverly usually commented from time to time but today the fact that Stanl and Bill took so long to come back was bothering her.

“Get your hormone levels down, geez, Richie answered while hitting Eddie’s cheek.”

A gasp followed and a fight ensued. Screams came out of the wrestling boys as they tried to get on top of the other. 

“Die, Eddie cried as he smashed into Richie who yelled something incomprehensible, die traitor!”

Mike laughed and got closer to Ben in order to be on the dumbasses’ way. Bev got up and found her way to the door. She quickly put on her shoes and grabbed the first coat she found, she was pretty sure it was Mike but she guessed the dear would not mind.

As she pushed the door she could feel someone pulling it from outside. She prayed it was not Sonia which was unlikely but possible seeing how protective she was of her son. Unsurprisingly it ended up being Stanley. What was more surprising was the fact that he was alone.

“Can I come in?”

“S-Sure.”

Surprise had caused her to pause for a moment, her brain did not work properly. She checked outside to look for Bill. He was nowhere to be seen and Stan was already sat in front of the boys and handing out packs of crisps, chocolate and lesser interesting food.

“Where’s Bill?”

“Getting changed.”

“Why?”

She stared at him and if he hoped she did not notice his ears going bright red as he answered it was false hope.

“He felt sticky. He wanted to wash quickly. Well he did.”

She rolled her eyes. She would not buy his lies. He could have lied to anyone else but her, soones or later she would expose the truth. To punish him she stole the purple bag of crisps he held.

“Oh no, Stanley darling. We talked about your poor taste in food. Don’t repeat the same mistakes.”

“My... You surely are confident, to spit on the name of my dearest snack. How sanguine. Sadly, no matter how much I love you I will crush you if you ever say anything bad about my snacks.”

“Stan, mate, I’m sorry but I have to agree with Beverly, Mike added with a soft voice, I can tell food from edible things and this thing, well it barely pass the edible thing test.”

Ben laughed, he would never say it aloud but he agreed strongly with Mike and Bev. Stan always are the most disgusting food. He made up theses strange, uneatable recipes and often went to him to taste them which caused him great distress. 

“Are you kissing me, Richie yelled, it’s dah bomb. Eat it. Really, you have to taste it, it leaves such a delicate, sweet taste on the tongue. My mouth melts from the deliciousness.”

Eddie tried to get away from Richie. When Richie tried to hug him he almost jumped behind Stan but he remembered the fact that he had taken the damned snack in the first place so he hurriedly zoomed toward the sofa to seat on Mike’s lap.

“M-Mike, I think you got ado-adopted by us, Bill commented when he came in.”

He was wearing a hoodie which most likely belonged to Bev and something that looked really closely like a jean but was in fact one of Richie’s atrocities. Being glared at by everyone made him remember he wore this barf-like clothing.

“L-Laun-dry day.”

Richie squinted. Beverly was suspicious of Bill and Stan, he could see it and Bill’s stutter being back did not help their case. Tea was going to get spilled in his direct messages. The number ones fan of Stenbrough.

“Okay guys, Richie chimed, it just came to me. We have to create more ship names. Since we have a new brother, or maybe father. Mike, will you become my daddy?”

“Beep beep Richie, they hissed.”

Richie sneered but he would never shut his big trashy mouth, he had recovered his joy and nobody could take it from him.

“I call dips on Hanozier.”

“Literally no one will steal it. And that’s very uke of you sir, Eddie cheered, Mikey what do you think of Eddike. Okay it’s terrible. Let’s not date.”

“I need our ship to be Mikerly. End of discussion, Bev decided.”

“We are Hanbrough. The kings of bromance, Bill managed to blurt out.”

Mike felt overwhelmed, everyone was suddenly giving him attention at the same time and asking for his opinion on a something he did not really understand. He turned to Ben and suddenly his chest tightened. He smiled and finally talked:

“Should we be Hanscom then?”

Ben flushed. 

“I don’t think you understand. Our ship name should be a mix of both our names.”

“I do understand. But lovers get married and can share the same name. I like yours.”

Ben’s face went white. Everyone was silent. Shock had took over the room, except for Mike who looked laid back. In reality his mind was a mess, it was racing at full speed and the lack of reaction of Ben did not help.

“Mike. Will you marry Ben?”

Richie sounded so solemn and gentle that for an instant they thought this sentence would start a beautiful love story but Ben’s laughter filled the room with the sweet, most miserable sounds he ever produced.

“Stop messing with me, you losers.”

The atmosphere became cold, no one wished to continue talking anymore. They had put on their best poker faces. Eddie suddenly shrieked, the company turned to him. They had forgotten he was on Mike’s lap, still hiding from Richie.

“I saw a fucking spider, he screamed as he clung to Ben.”

“Where, Bev asked, Stan, paper.”

Stanley reacted quickly, he grabbed a newspaper from the coffee table and gave it to Bill and Bev determined to fight back the small animal. Richie had grabbed Stan’s shirt and surveyed the room frantically. He looked ready to tear up. Mike examined the floor and bend down. 

“I have it.”

He somehow captures the spider in his hand and took it outside, unaware of the disturbed stares on his back.

“Never mind marrying Ben. You freak. Let’s annul the adoption process, Richie whined, he don’t want a psycho bro.”

“Well we already have a pervy papy, Ben replicated.”

Mike expected Richie to be the one to be offended, he already picture him gasping and making up a silly excuse for doing something weird but he was astonished to see and hear Stanley respond to those allegations.

“It was one time. A single fucking time.”

“Yet, we’ll never forget it, my dude, Beverly said.”

Mike tried to find comfort in the eyes of his newly found friends but it seemed they all understood the unspoken words exchanged, well except for Bill but he knew he would need time and maybe more to get used to him being close to Ben. Though they met long before he even knew of Ben’s existence.

“What happened, Bill asked, why did nobody caught me up on this gossip? Bev explain.”

“Oh boy. You sure you want to know?”

“Yes I am.”

“Well, you see last year, when we went golfing? For Eddie’s birthday–but really what kinda birthday is that?–Stan really struggled. He usually is good at most sports which involve balls, he is nimble and whatnot so we were surprised to see him fail so much. Plus he had grabbed about how he would kick our asses before. We were quite disappointed by Stan the man and he let him know.”

“And I fucking yelled ‘Yeah! Well usually I’m good with balls, just not these so don’t rub it in my face’.”

“Of course, Richie intervened, I had to make a joke. He basically handed it to me, wrapped in purple satin and attached by a golden silk tie. So I said ‘You are good with balls cause you like them. Those balls don’t like you.’ and I proceed to move on.”

“If it wasn’t for Stan screaming ‘Well I will shove these balls up my ass if I can’t finish this fucking thing.”

Bill started laughing but Mike noticed a certain discomfort in his face. He was tense as if something was bothering him. Maybe it was since he came back from his house and they simply noticed it late.

“Okay friends but it’s late and I think most of us don’t want to miss the first classes tomorrow so let’s sleep now. Ben, Mike, do you have everything you need? Notebooks? Textbooks?”

“Aren’t we eating, Eddie asked with his innocent face.”

“Well it’s ten, we ate all of Bill’s snacks. Unless we start to eat him there are no more snacks. And there’s no food anywhere.”

“It’s okay, Ben said, I will find something to do. While I cook, get the beds ready.”

Bill met Ben’s eyes, leaving now seemed to be impossible. Ben would cause a ruckus if he did. He had be to strategic. Ben asked him to help in the kitchen so his escape plan had to wait. He reluctantly went there but stopped before entering the kitchen.

“Ben, I don’t know how to cook. I don’t even know what the utensils are called. Stan remember when we were at your house...”

Stanley gasped as if he had come to a sudden realisation of the universe’s truth. He recollected the events Bill referred to extremely well since it costed him to be grounded for a mouth.

“Back when we were in middle school, before we met you, Bill came over once. After that he was banned to come in for at least a year! That was so funny, that one time you begged my mom to let you in a-and you got-ot to enter the y-yard to meet wif-with me.”

He had to pause his speech because his laugh had become uncontrollable. Bill stared at him with a longing look, what else could he do when Stan was being so cute. 

“Okay. I am calm now. No wait.”

Ben was pissed. He started tapping his feet on the floor. The others were slacking off in the sofa, nothing was done yet and his parental instincts were kicking in. Being the father of five children was hard.

“I will go help you, Mike proposed.”

“Good. Now you, all of you, go upstairs and do something. Anything but laying around and being useless fucks.”

Stan tried to keep cool at first but as soon as Ben said the word fucks he fell on the ground, laughing like a mad man. Bill had to force him to stand up to make him go upstairs and avoid Ben’s wrath.

“I swear... I will kill them one day.”

“Oh dear. Please don’t.”

Mike smirked and took Ben’s hand on his own. He walked around the kitchen, without letting go of Ben, and collected the ingredients he wanted to use.

“Okay, since we have sweet potatoes we can make fries. We don’t have meat, not immediately so i guess we have to get proteins from another source... What do you think of cheese? Oh I think I saw quinoa somewhere. That could do too.”

Ben did not gape, at least he convinced himself he did not gape. He knew how to cook, not very well but he could handle a few dishes quite well and when he needed he would look online. His speciality was desserts so it was difficult to make dinner for his friends, especially with Eddie’s and Stan’s allergies plus Richie barely ate anything except sugar and salt.

“Sure. We will have to make something else for Richie. He won’t eat anything you said.”

“Does he like peanuts?”

“Yeah, but Stan is allergic so we can’t mix them with the other food. And maybe not cheese for Eddie, I think he is supposed to be intolerant to lactose. Or so Sonia said.”

Mike stopped to think for an instant. He had spent a summer with some friends in the Greece so he was used to cooking for a lot of people. He grabbed a post-it note and a pen.

“Porridge for Richie?”

“Sure. Bill, Bev, you and I can eat potatoes, cheese and quinoa, it’s okay to add peanuts. Eddie can eat peanuts too, with everything else but cheese. We can replace it with oats I guess. Stan can’t eat peanuts, maybe oat will do too.”

“Yeah. Is it okay if I cook broccoli too?”

Ben nodded and they started to make everything. Ben made the porridge while Mike did most of the other dishes. They had seven plates displayed on the table and they were slowly filled with the different kinds of food they prepared. 

“Mike, come here. Smell this. It stink.”

Mike frowned. He was pretty sure after the purge they did earlier nothing left in this house could be spoiled or had gone bad. He walked over and put his nose in front of the bowl Ben held. He was going to say it did not smell weird when Ben push the bel in his nose. Mike gasped. He walked away and grabbed a handful of uncooked broccolis he threw at Ben.

“I will remember how you betrayed me, Benny darling.”

Ben laughed, the broccolis barely did any damage and the pain he felt was very much worth the sight of Mike with a big splash of white of his face. He giggle when more food was thrown at him. Retaliation was coming, he took a spoon and dove it into the bowl. 

“Come here baby, I’m sorry Mikey I swear.”

“Liar.”

Ben knew he was bright red, he hoped Mike believed it was from their ongoing fight and not from all the flirting. Mike now used oat to fight back, he had put some in his mouth and spat in on an outraged Ben.

“Coward, fight in melee at least.”

Mike knew it was a bad decision but he decided to come near Ben after he was sent a few spoonfuls of the white thing, he hoped it was the leftover porridge. When he arrived in front of Ben he found himself covered from head to toe by it. It dripped from his hair in his shirt.

“I am fighting back.”

He still had oat in his hands so he put them in his hair.

“Love you.”

“You can kiss my ass, Ben snarled.”

He started wrestling but Mike was overwhelmingly stronger. He barely budged and when he grabbed Ben’s waist he easily lifted him from the ground. At this point screaming and kicking became Ben’s new tactic to be left alone. 

“Let me down! Douchebag! I want to go down! Mike, I am not kidding. Down. Down! I swear to God, I’ll fucking kill you.”

Mike giggle and let him down. Ben was pouting and tried to get away but he had a strong grip on his waist. Mike carefully caressed Ben’s lips.

“What a foul mouth. You need to wash it.”

Ben frowned and kicked his groin. Mike’s face twisted in pain and he fell to the ground, taking Ben with him. His hand was hurting Ben, it had gotten even stronger after the hit.

“What the fuck, Eddie shouted, why have you made such a mess of my kitchen?”

He stood in the doorway, hands crossed on his chest. Mike let Ben get away. His lower body felt too painful so allow him to stand up.

“I started it. I am sorry Eddie. I shouldn’t have. I will clean it.”

Eddie took his head in his hand and sighed. Mike tried to stand up, he managed to get on a chair. 

“It’s okay. We will all clean it.”

Stanley came down. When he saw the state of the kitchen he simply sighed and muttered ‘again?’ as he walked away. He grabbed some supplies and called the others. They all reacted approximately the same way: a tired, used to this, face. Mike somehow started to question the normality of this group of friends. But he felt like he fitted just right.


	7. Secrets and lies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some secrets are revealed but others appear. Can lying really help one out of a mess? Beverly is stuck home and her boys armed drifting apart. Only Mike survives the mess that have become their lives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing in the texting format is so easy, I don’t even need more than a day to write everything but it lacks the fun of my usual writing style. I enjoyed writing this chapter because he can finally understand Richie more about his decision to hide his feelings from Eddie and I get to start clearing up the misunderstanding about Bill and Ben’s relationship...

**The Loners**

**Stan:** Where are you guys?

**Bevvie:** i caught a cold, i’m home

**Stan:** Don’t text. Sleep. I’ll swing by later

**Richie:** poor you…. 

**Richie:** i am with Mike and Ben on the benches outside the library

**Stan:** Can I join you? I can’t think the others

**Richie:** No

**Richie:** dm

**-**

**Ricardo >>>Stanley Uris**

**Ricardo:** ‘Hanscom’ keep flirting, i ain’t no third wheel, let me come with you

**Stanley Uris:** OK, sure. I’m near the canteen.

**Stanley Uris:** Have u seen Bill and Eddie?

**Ricardo:** nope

**Ricardo: i** think Eds went home, he had forgotten something 

**Stanley Uris:** thx

**-**

**Stanley Uris >>> Bill D**

**Stanley Uris:** Are you with Eddie,where are you?

**-**

**Bill D >>>DieDie**

**Bill D:** Hurry up

**Bill D:** Stan sent me a text asking where I am and if I was with you

**DieDie:** Lie

**Bill D:** Eddie, I am not going to lie to Stan

**DieDie:** Why not?

**Bill D:** …

**Bill D:** You know why.

**DieDie:** Lie. He won’t find out.

**Bill D:** If he does you are responsible

**-**

**Bill D >>>Stanley Uris**

**Bill D:** My mom is in town, we are getting lunch together today just the two of us

**Stanley Uris:** Oh okay. Enjoy. Sorry for disturbing you.

**Bill D:** no biggie ttyl.

**-**

**Stanley Uris >>>Ricardo**

**Stanley Uris** : is Mrs D in town?

**Ricardo:** i dunno 

**Ricardo:** y

**Stanley Uris:** Bill told me she was but i think he is lying

**Ricardo:** y would he lie?

**Stanley Uris:** don’t tell bev. we fought yesterday

**Ricardo:** What happened? Tell me.

**Stanley Uris:** I joked about you and me and he got mad at me for doing so

**Ricardo:** He jealous?

**Stanley Uris:** No… He said it was weird because he knew Eddie cared about you deeply and he hated seeing him getting hurt by those jokes

**Ricardo:** Oh…

**Stanley Uris:** Rich…

**Ricardo:** please don’t 

**Stanley Uris:** I have to.

**Stanley Uris:** You should ask him out. Really.

**Stanley Uris:** He likes you, you fell head over heel for him, what’s the problem

**Ricardo:** Stan. I am dirty. I don’t want him to become like me

**Stanley Uris:** I love you so much but really Rich, don’t hide

**Stanley Uris:** Be proud

**-**

**DieDie >>>Bill D**

**DieDie:** Okay, I am done, where are you

**Bill D:** In the street beside the hotel

**DieDie:** Okay

**DieDie:** What did he say?

**Bill D:** Nothing

**Bill D:** If it backfires you die 

**DieDie:** Sure, lunch break will end soon I will hurry up

**-**

**The Loners**

**Bevvie:** Bill check ur dms

**Billy:** Okay

**Benny:** Bev, do you want me to drop off some food?

**Bevvie:** nah my aunt is taking care of me

**Bevvie:** I need my hw though

**Billy:** I will ask around your class to get it

**Bevvie:** no need to

**Stan:** I can do it Bill.

**Billy:** I want to

**-**

**Ricardo >>>DieDie**

**Ricardo:** what r u doing later?

**DieDie:** Why?

**Ricardo:** i wanted u to come over

**DieDie:** Oh, sorry I can’t. I am busy

**Ricardo:** oh okay 

**DieDie:** Maybe another time?

**Ricardo:** yeah, sure, don’t worry 

**DieDie:** If you go at Bev’s send her love from me

**Ricardo:** will do

**-**

**Bev <3>>>Ricardo**

**Bev <3:** r u ok?

**Ricardo:** i should be the one asking

**Bev <3:** Oh yeah. I’m not sick

**Ricardo:** ?

**Bev <3:** my dad tried to get in touch with me, my aunt asked me if it was okay to stay home for a few days until things are settled

**Ricardo:** oh… y haven’t you told the others?

**Bev <3:** i am not sure myself

**Bev <3:** i don’t want them to freak out

**Ricardo:** am i levelheaded 

**Bev <3:** u r trustworthy 

**Bev <3:** and i know you won’t snitch

**Ricardo:** i want to spill the tea

**Bev <3:** u won’t, u r too scared of me

**Ricardo:** that’s true.

**Bev <3:** ahahah luv u

**Ricardo:** xoxoxo

**Bev <3:** uwu 

**-**

**Stanley Uris >>>MikeHNL**

**Stanley Uris:** Do you like Ben?

**MikeHNL:** yeah, he is nice, why?

**Stanley Uris:** Not this kind of like, do you fancy him?

**MikeHNL:** why?

**Stanley Uris:** So you do

**Stanley Uris:** Ben is like a brother to us. We love him and if you hurt him you will have to live up to your actions.

**MikeHNL:** okay so it’s no use lying to you… i do fancy him but i swear i won’t hurt him

**MikeHNL:** he is lovely. he is so nice not only to me but also to all of you and i can tell he cares a lot about you. no matter what happens between he and i, i will be there for him

**Stanley Uris:** Another thing…

**Stanley Uris:** Our love lives have and will always be complicated and intertwined so if you need help to understand them, I will gladly provide it.

**MikeHNL:** actually i have a question

**MikeHNL:** how close are Ben and Bill?

**Stanley Uris:** Well Bill dated Bev when Ben had a crush on her so at first it was a bit awkward between them but now they are pretty close, probably not like Bill is close to Eddie but still close

**Stanley Uris:** Why?

**MikeHNL:** “it’s just that Bill just said something very sweet to me” “he is such a kind boy” everyone loves Bill”

**MikeHNL:** that’s from messages he sent me 

**Stanley Uris:** Oh

**Stanley Uris:** I’ll look into it 

**-**

**Stanley Uris >>>Ricardo**

**Stanley Uris:** okay. what th hell

**Ricardo:** what? y messages we’re next to one another

**Stanley Uris:** okay so Hanscom will sail soon but i need to see Ben’s messages and because i don’t want to say it aloud

**Ricardo:** u need me to hack his account don’t u

**Stanley Uris:** please

**Ricardo:** sure

**Ricardo:** what r u looking for?

**Stanley Uris:** a dm between Bill and Ben, something sweet

**Ricardo:** ok but i need to get a computer so i’ll leave first

**Stanley Uris:** it’s been fifteen minutes, have u found it

**Ricardo:** wait i’ll send it to u when i find it

**Ricardo:** And even if you don’t get married, you’ll still have me who loves you unconditionally…

**Ricardo:** is that it?

**Stanley Uris:** Probably 

**Ricardo:** y do u need it?

**Stanley Uris:** Are you seriously asking why?

**Ricardo:** Wait.

**Ricardo:** r u jealous 

**Ricardo:** of Ben

**Stanley Uris:** I am not jealous. I wanted to know what he had said

**Ricardo:** i am pretty sure u can ask Bill to give u his phone later if you want to read his messages

**Ricardo:** btw ask Eds what he is doing tonight

**Stanley Uris:** the jealous one is u

**Ricardo:** yh i’m jealous so what 

**Ricardo:** he said he was “busy”

**Stanley Uris:** ouch

**Ricardo:** honestly why must everyone lie 

**Ricardo:** we don’t talk about my lies 

**Stanley Uris:** Richlie 

**Ricardo:** that’s comedic genius 

**-**

**Ricardo >>>MikeHNL**

**Ricardo:** _Bonjour bebe_

**MikeHNL:** _Bonjour_ Richard :’)

**Ricardo:** _Comant sa va_

**MikeHNL:** my eyes hurt.

**Ricardo:** come on, it’s not that bad

**MikeHNL:** if you say so

**Ricardo:** i do

**Ricardo:** so Hanscom is sailing

**MikeHNL:** what?

**Ricardo:** i hacked into Ben’s account. you won’t have anyone to fight against

**MikeHNL:** you did what now?

**MikeHNL:** you realise that’s probably illegal

**MikeHNL:** you have to tell Ben.

**Ricardo:** oh he is used to it

**MikeHNL:** …

**MikeHNL:** is it like a casual thing?

**MikeHNL:** will u hack me too???

**Ricardo:** ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 

**-**

**Ricardo >>>B.H**

**Ricardo:** i scared ur bf away

**B.H:** what have u done

**B.H:** are you talking about Mike

**Ricardo:** yh, i hacked into ur account and told him

**B.H:** again????

**Ricardo:** yh, but now Mike is afraid i’ll hack into his account

**B.H:** i hate u

**-**

**The Loners**

**Benny:** Okay. Guys. Richie started hacking into our accounts again.

**Eddie:** Richard. 

**Eddie:** Do you ever learn?

**Mikey:** How many times has he done that?

**Billy:** Too often

**Richie:** I swear I won’t hack into your account again Ben

**Stan:** It’s kind of my fault. I told him I wanted to read a message because I had to delete mine. I don’t want my parents to read our conversations.

**Bevvie:** Stan, I think you should tell us what is wrong. You seem wary of your parents

**Stan:** I think they found out I’m gay.

**Richie:** Stan. You don’t have to.

**Stan:** It’s okay, at one point I will have to explain it to them. Can I talk about your part?

**Richie:** … 

**Richie:** yh

**Stan:** Okay, that’s a no.

**Stan:** Anyway, you know how they are, I am trying to be less obvious because I fear their reaction.

**Stan:** Sometimes I look at my mother and I think she spent the whole day crying and it makes me mad at myself for being who I am.

**Stan:** But I am gay, I am who I am and I can’t change that.

**Bevvie:** Stan darling… You are not gay. You literally had one crush in all your life and he is a boy, maybe one day you’ll surprise yourself 

**Billy:** Bev you only needed to add and your boyfriend and it would have become personal 

**Eddie:** Are you guys seriously not going to support Stan?

**Benny:** Stan… I am so sorry. Do you want me to ask my parents to drop a word next time they meet. They are so supportive of me, I am sure they will help you

**Mikey:** I don’t think I can help but I am still not out to my grandpa so I guess if you need someone to understand you, I can

**Billy:** You can come at mine anytime, my dad said it was okay. And remember we love you.

**Bevvie:** I love you more than the others love you. 

**Billy:** Are you sure?

**Bevvie:** Stfu

**Bevvie:** I could die for him

**Richie:** so could i, u ain’t special

**Stan:** Rich…

**Richie:** Right, right.

**Stan:** I am fine for now guys. Don’t worry. I just have to either keep lying or make things clear and I am not sure what I want to do…

**Eddie:** Stan, you should come over one day. I think we should talk.

**Stan:** Okay, thanks Eddie.

**-**

**Stanley Uris >>>Ricardo **

**Stanley Uris:** u will have to tell Eddie at some point 

**Ricardo:** I know… Just not today okay?

**Stanley Uris:** I just don’t want it to be a problem later on

  
  
  
  
  
  



	8. Easiness, uneasiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes the most important events of one’s life are hidden by the most normal events of others

**The Loners**

**Bevvie:** so who is coming over? i need to know for my aunt

**Benny:** i am, i am bringing a little something for you to drink sweetie

**Bevvie:** u r way too nice

**Stan:** I am coming too. 

**Eddie:** Sorry, I can't make it today, duty calls

**Bevvie:** what duty u r just too lazy 

**Eddie:** Not true! 

**Eddie:** I am sending you love from my house

**Eddie:** Sonia won’t let me go anyway, she’ll freak out about your bacteria

**Bevvie:** i’m a bacteria heaven so what

**Mikey:** i have to get home, my grandpa wants me to help out

**Bevvie:** it’s ok Mike, i know you must be busy

**Bevvie:** you’ll have to buy me a smoothie once to compensate though

**Bevvie:** Eddie that will be two for you

**Eddie:** That’s not fair!

**Billy:** I am sorry. My dad has been texting and calling me nonstop for a few minutes now. Apparently Georgie did not get home yet. I have to go.

**Bevvie:** Oh. No. It’s okay. Tell me when you have news about him…

**Stan:** Are you okay Bill? Do you need someone?

**Billy:** No, it’s fine, I’ll go with my dad to his school and we will ask around. He probably went somewhere to play and did not see the time.

**Bevvie:** So Stan, Ben and that’s all?

**Richie:** No! I am coming too!

**Bevvie:** oh right, richie

**Bevvie:** yh maybe u shouldn’t come

**Richie:** i should, i can and i will

**Richie:** Ben, Stan where r u

**Benny:** in front of the school

**Richie:** wait for me darling

**Benny:** sure

**Stan:** I am already on my way to Bev’s. Should I wait for you Ben?

**Richie:** what about me?

**Stan:** I am sure you will find your way to Bev’s. You are a strong independent gay.

**Richie:** i am a disaster gay, as my gay senpai you must guide me

**Bevvie:** ew

**Bevvie:** stop with the Stan is gay thing

**Benny:** Bev, you seem pretty sure he isn’t, why?

**Bevvie:** his type is literally someone everyone in this chat had a crush on at some point (except maybe Mike)

**Stan:** Beverly.

**Bevvie:** I’ll delete it, it’s fine

**Stan:** It’s not fine

**Someone deleted a message from this conversation**

**Richie:** Wait no

**Richie: i** didn’t see because i was greeting ben

**Richie:** Benjamin. You are guilty of not making me read the TeA

**Benny:** i didn’t do shit. you punished yourself

**Mikey:** i can tell you what she wrote but i think Stan would not appreciate it

**Richie:** Oh. I’ll just ask him then 

**Richie:** honey answer my dm if u don’t want me to show up at ur house and profess my love to u

**Stan:** You would not dare.

**Richie:** oh really?

**Eddie:** Rich, stop bothering Stan.

**Richie:** but it’s fuuuuun

**Eddie:** Don’t be a dick

**Richie:** u r what u eat

**Stan:** Still waiting to turn into an unsalted sunflower seed.

**Mikey:** that’s oddly specific 

**Stan:** No one asked you to judge. My lifestyle is mine only to critique.

**Richie:** r u still angry about the seeds’ prank?

**Mikey:** what have you done again

**Richie:** i swear this time it was legal

**Mikey:** oh my god

**Mikey:** what did u do

**Eddie:** Attempted murder isn’t exactly legal

**Richie:** OMG

**Richie:** liar

**Mikey:** wtf

**Richie:** No Mikey, don’t believe them

**Richie:** it wasn’t like that

**Bevvie:** oh! i remember, Stan threw up so much that day

**Bevvie:** i think he even ended up vomiting on Bill

**Stan:** Alas tis true.

**Stan:** I did throw up on him.

**Bevvie:** wasn’t it at Ben’s house?

**Benny:** yeah… my mom wouldn’t let me invite you over for a while after

**Eddie:** The bedroom was such a mess

**Benny:** yeah, i remember it being a big mess and the smell!

**Stan:** Guys. Don’t make fun of me.

**Bevvie:** We are just recollecting some precious memories Stan Dear…

**Mikey:** BuT wHaT hApPeNeD?

**Richie:** i bought the seeds but instead of salt i put sugar on it….

**Richie:** Stan HATES sugar. when it’s in food it’s okay but otherwise he won’t touch it becauseit causes him to get sick. so i kinda poisoned him

**Stan:** Kinda? That’s not kinda. You precisely decided to make me eat this damned, deadly, dreaded food.

**Richie:** i did not!

**Richie:** if i wanted to kill u, peanuts is the way to go

Have you already planned my assassination?

**Bevvie:** isn’t an assassination supposed to be political?

**Benny:** no?

**Benny:** John Lennon was assassinated

**Bevvie:** oh okay right

**Mikey:** but John Lennon was kind of involved in politics, wasn’t he?

**Eddie:** I think so

**-**

**MikeHNL >>>Ricardo**

**MikeHNL:** if i had to be honest i would say i wanted to ask Stanley at first but i don’t need to, i just think you should know 

**Ricardo:** ask what

**MikeHNL:** what’s your relationship with Stan?

**Ricardo:** he is my best friend

**MikeHNL:** no, there’s something more

**Ricardo:** what do u mean?

**MikeHNL:** i kind of guessed you had a history

**Ricardo:** what kind of history? i really don’t see what u mean

**MikeHNL:** don’t play dump… 

**MikeHNL:** the way you look at each other betrays you… There is this brotherly love I can see in each of your eyes but there is something more…

**MikeHNL:** something almost lustful, something that transcends love…

**MikeHNL:** it’s like you are small parts of a big thing and even though you are whole without the other since you are together it’s way better, like a pair of socks…

**Ricardo:** i am not a sock

**MikeHNL:** yeah yeah sorry

**MikeHNL:** so are you willing to tell me about your relationship

**Ricardo:** Will you promise you won’t tell anyone?

**MikeHNL:** Of course not Richie. You can trust me, I trust you not to tell Ben. 

**Ricardo:** Oh you’re so obvious I wouldn’t even need to tell him…

**MikeHNL:** rude

**Ricardo:** Do you want the full story? for Stan?

**MikeHNL:** Sure 

**Ricardo:** we met around the same time he met the other losers. we became close friends and then best friends. after i told him i was gay he told he he only had a single crush on his life and it was a boy and he was confused about it. i told him the only thing i could tell him was that you couldn’t really tell what you liked until you tried it. it somehow led to us having a sexual intercourse. time went by and we grew up. his crush grew stronger and stronger and to forget about it he kept coming back to me(that’s his own words). and now we casually met up to have sex

**MikeHNL:** wow. i didn’t expect that

**Ricardo:** i didn’t 

**Ricardo:** i thought it would never happen again…

**Ricardo:** it’s a secret but he cried the first time we went all the way

**MikeHNL:** but who is he in love with?

**Ricardo:** i can only tell you it’s a boy, if you want to know ask him

**MikeHNL:** okay

**MikeHNL:** do you like him?

**Ricardo:** oh no, god no

**MikeHNL:** why do you continue this relationship 

**Ricardo:** i just hope it can take my mind off Eddie…

**MikeHNL:** you like Eddie?

**Ricardo:** yup

**Ricardo:** but now because of this relationship, because of how i led my life, i can’t date him because i would make him dirty, i don’t want him to become like me…

**MikeHNL:** i’m sorry for bringing that up…

**Ricardo:** no it’s okay…

**Ricardo:** have u ever dated someone?

**MikeHNL:** yeah… there’s plenty of them

**Ricardo:** player ;)

**MikeHNL:** oh no, i get played

**Ricardo:** meaning?

**MikeHNL:** i just kind of always end up dating people that only see in me the interests of our relationship

**Ricardo:** oh, well Ben isn’t like that. Ben is a wonderful lover. Don’t worry.

**Ricardo:** Can I be your bridesmaid? 

**MikeHNL:** Sure but i can’t promise it will be with Ben

**MikeHNL:** I don’t know if he likes me and we met like three days ago so let’s not be hasty and jump into a relationship we can’t sustain

**MikeHNL:** we need to get to know each other, to see if we work together, if we can solve every issue that comes to us

**MikeHNL:** wait aren’t you with Ben rn?

**Ricardo:** don’t worry i am not showing him your messages 

**MikeHNL:** oh thank god. i don’t want him to think i’m a creep

**Ricardo:** nah, he is such a romantic, je would never think that.

**MikeHNL:** i hope so… i don’t want him to think i’m a psycho

**-**

**The Loners**

**Richie:** OMG guys you won’t believe you delivered Bev’s homework

**Bevvie:** Richie!

**Richie:** A cute guy from her class, his name is Sam, so we can call him Sammy

**Stan:** He is not cute. He is handsome.

**Eddie:** pic?

**Richie:** I shall sail the internets to find a painting for thee

**Benny:** i think i have his ig, he was in the drama club last year and i helped with the script

**Richie:** I need you to hurry… Sennnnd itttt

**Bevvie:** calm down. it’s just a boy.

**Bevvie:** he is being nice, don’t misinterpret his action

**Stan:** I have a picture of him. He was in one of my classes last year.

**Benny:** it’s okay. i found it, i’ll forward it to you guys later

**Richie:** “forward”

**Richie:** what r u 87?

**Benny:** shut ur trap it’s a normal thing to say

**Eddie:** Actually…

**Stan:** It isn’t. 

**Eddie:** Yeah, I have to side with them

**Bevvie:** back to Sam, you are making up stories

**Richie:** nuh uh 

**Richie:** i am never mistaken on love

**Eddie:** Are you sure?!?

**Stan:** Are you sure?

**Bevvie:** r u sure

**Benny:** okay you are 100% wrong

**Richie:** I am sure. Come on, anyone on this group chat, ask me who you are in love with?

**Bevvie:** It doesn’t count, everyone knows.

**Bevvie:** Even Mike must know 

**Mikey:** I don’t know everyone 

**-**

**Bev <3>>>MikeHNL**

**Bev <3:** so, spill the tea love

**MikeHNL:** tell me if i’m wrong but stan and bill, and richie and eddie 

**Bev <3:** my my

**MikeHNL:** is it right

**Bev <3:** you just forgot Ben and you

**MikeHNL:** ahahah yeah

**Bev <3:** don’t deny it

**-**

**The Loners**

**Richie:** In conclusion. Bev will get some

**Bevvie:** OMG, stop being so horny!

**Bevvie:** are you in heat?

**Bevvie:** i’m sure you guys get some often and you want to and you like it but i don’t 

**Richie:** i don’t 

**Stan:** I don’t “get some” and I don’t have sex either

**Eddie:** Just ew.

**Benny:** should i consider myself in the “guys”

**Mikey:** i don’t think so Ben

**Bevvie:** i was talking about Stan and Rich

**Richie:** Oh, i do get some with Eddie’s mom

**Stan:** Rich.

**Eddie:** Leave Sonia out of this dickhead

**Bevvie:** Richard, rule number two

**Bevvie:** and guys you have to acknowledge the fact that you have sex

**Stan:** We don’t.

**Richie:** i would love to but Stan doesn’t want to

**Bevvie:** I DIDNT MEAN TOGETHER YOU DUMB FUCKS BIT OKAY I LEANRT SOMETHING I WOULD RATHER NOT KNOW 

**Benny:** ew. ew. ew.

**Mikey:** It’s okay Bev. I am here if you want to talk

**Stan:** Even if I have sex it’s none of you business. 

**Richie:** i agree with Stanley, mind your business Bev…

**Bevvie:** my point was that you probably had sex in the last two weeks and i hadn’t ever

**Billy:** Can you guys not talk about sex please my dad can see the texts.

**Bevvie:** Omg… 

**Bevvie:** I am ashamed. I will avoid your father forever now.

**-**

**Bill D >>>Ricardo**

**Bill D:** I am sorry Rich but can you ask your parents to come over tonight, you can sleep over if it’s easier but I need you to do something for me and my dad. We still haven’t found Georgie and I am getting really worried…

**Ricardo:** Sure. No big deal. I will be right over. Don’t freak out. 

**Bill D:** Thanks so much…


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is worried about Bill and Stan’s late night texting doesn’t help. Stan wants to help Bill but the plan he came up with has its flaws. Ben reveal something to Mike.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is going to be a normal one, no texting, which mean it will take me longer to get done and my break is coming to an end. I am going to start writing another IT fanfic in two parts at least the pairings will probably be Reddie, Benverly and I guess Stan x Bill x Mike or something like that...

**The Loners**

**Stan:** Please, stop being stubborn, I am sorry. Now please answer, you have to talk to me.

**Richie:** ?

**Richie:** Wrong chat?

**Stan:** Oh

**Stan:** Yeah.Sorry.

**Billy:** Are you okay Stan?

**Stan:** Yeah.

**Stan:** Is my text worrying? I am sorry, I just wanted my friend to stop being childish.

**Benny:** Where are you?

**Stan:** My house. It’s late of course i’m home, who would be.

**Richie:** I am at Bill’s so there’s that

**Stan:** Why are you at Bill’s?

**Billy:** I asked him to come

**Stan:** Oh ok

**-**

**Ricardo >>>Stanley Uris**

**Ricardo:** Don’t be jealous. Support him.

**Stanley Uris:** I would never be jealous of you.

**Ricardo:** Ok

**-**

**Stanley Uris >>>Bill D**

**Stanley Uris:** Can I help with anything?

**Bill D:** No but thank you 

**Stanley Uris:** Are you sure?

**Bill D:** Well I ready need to cry and to be hugged 

**Stanley Uris:** Ok…

**Bill D:** Ok what?

**Bill D:** Stan?

**Bill D:** Stan!!!???

**Bill D:** Stanley Uris

**Bill D:** don’t leave me alone…

**Someone deleted a message from this conversation**

**Bill D:** Where are you? answer

**-**

**Stanley Uris >>>Ricardo**

**Stanley Uris:** please don’t tell Bill

**Ricardo:** Okay that’s not a good way to start a conversation 

**Stanley Uris:** can you leave a window open at Bill’s house

**Ricardo:** his brother fucking disappeared. let’s not do that. 

**Stanley Uris:** well think of a way to let me in

**Ricardo:** wait u r not coming over rn

**Stanley Uris:** too late. don’t tell him

**Ricardo: h** oly shit

**Ricardo:** ur parents will kill you

**Stanley Uris:** Yeah, they’ll kick me out for sure now… Can I come over tomorrow?

**Ricardo:** Yeah. I think my parents won’t mind

**Stanley Uris:** But just as friends.

**Ricardo:** Friends. 

**-**

**Bill D >>>Bev<3**

**Bill D** : Bev.

**Bev <3:** Yeah?

**Bill D:** Stanley isn’t answering to me 

**Bill D:** I am so fucking worried

**Bev <3:** Oh sweetie don’t be. we talked a few minutes ago. he is probably busy 

**Bev <3:** maybe his parents caught him on his phone

**Bev <3:** let him be

**Bill D:** Beverly, I am scared as hell

**Bill D:** I don’t know where my brother is and now Stan is missing

**Bev <3:** oh… dear, i am sorry

**Bev <3:** but really, do not worry, we will find your brother and Stan probably is going to answer later

**Bev <3:** I’ll text the others to see if they talked to him 

**-**

**Bev <3>>>Ricardo**

**Bev <3:** hey, do u where Stan is?

**Ricardo:** yeah why?

**Bev <3:** Bill is freaking out, Stan hasn’t answered his text in a while

**Ricardo:** oh

**Ricardo: i** t’s a secret

**Ricardo:** Stan is coming over

**Bev <3:** to Bill’s?

**Ricardo:** hmmm

**Bev <3:** man, the boy is whipped

**Ricardo:** yh right

**Bev <3:** but

**Bev <3:** his parents?

**Ricardo:** milady i fear they will kill him wee boy

**Bev <3:** what even is that?

**Ricardo:** idk i am tired okay

**Bev <3:** why are u at Bill’s anyway

**Ricardo:** it’s top secret

**Bev <3:** oh?

**Ricardo:** Okay, i will spill the tea, you forced me to

**Bev <3:** i didn’t do shit

**Ricardo:** that’s right you did not

**Ricardo:** He had me hack into his brother’s social media accounts

**Bev <3:** that’s juicy

**Bev <3:** and?

**Ricardo:** and I don’t know because I wasn’t allowed to read anything

**Ricardo:** but for real.

**Ricardo:** I think he had a secret account

**Bev <3:** oh… that’s hot

**Ricardo:** no but realistically, he barely used anything, but he spent so much time on his phone…

**Ricardo:** either that or he used another social media we never had access to 

**Bev <3:** i may have some ideas…

**Bev <3:** because of my dad I would sometimes use lesser known media

**Ricardo:** before i was out i spent a lot of time on a blue t app

**Bev <3:** i bet it’s not Ben’s one

**Ricardo:** ahah no it’s not

**Bev <3:** wait how old were you

**Ricardo:** come again?

**Bev <3:** that’s illegal

**Ricardo:** hacking is illegal

**Bev <3:** weed is illegal

**Ricardo:** depends on where

**Bev <3:** sure

**-**

**B.H >>>MikeHNL**

**B.H:** r u asleep?

**MikeHNL:** well no

**B.H:** Have i woke u up?

**MikeHNL:** Stan woke me up first, i was just starting to fall asleep again

**B.H:** i am so sorry

**MikeHNL:** are you worried?

**B.H:** Stan did seem pretty down… And Bill…

**B.H:** I can’t imagine how hard it must be for him to suddenly have lost his brother. I hope nothing bad happened to him…

**B.H:** I didnt want to worry any of go you guys but…

**MikeHNL:** but what?

**B.H:** my parents buy the newspaper everyday and apparently his case isn’t the only one…

**B.H:** but one of the kid

**B.H:** they found his body… torn in half

**MikeHNL:** holy shit

**B.H:** I really hope Georgie is okay.

**MikeHNL:** that’s horrible… I hope he is still alive

**B.H:** be more positive

**MikeHNL:** I hope he is doing fine?

**B.H:** okay it’s a little bit better

**-**

**Stanley Uris >>>Ricardo**

**Stanley Uris:** bitch

**Ricardo:** don’t talk to me like that

**Stanley Uris:** Okayyyy~~~ uwu <3

**Ricardo:** That’s terrible

**Stanley Uris:** let me in

**Ricardo:** How the fuck are you even here? your house is quite far away

**Stanley Uris:** if i tell you you will make fun of me so i won’t say

**Ricardo:** i promise i won’t laugh

**Stanley Uris:** I ran

**Ricardo:** u ran

**Ricardo:** like from ur house to here

**Stanley Uris:** Si senor 

**Ricardo:** it’s not even how it’s spelled

**Stanley Uris:** too lazy

**Stanley Uris:** open 

**Ricardo:** Yeah. Yeah.


	10. Fussy boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stan finds himself leaving his house without notice for a boy, he is sure his parents will react strongly when they realise he left. Richie lets him in the Denbroughs’ house. They have a lot in their mind and the night may ease their minds off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> School started again for me therefore it will be harder for me to write regularly. I will probably post some drawings of this fanfic on instagram, if anyone is interested I may write the username somewhere soon

Stanley had started biting his lips as he waited for Richie to let him in. Maybe he had tapped his feet too since when the door opened Richie looked at the worn, dirty sneakers he had hurriedly put on before he even looked at his face. He could not help it, he was anxious, he had started overthinking. ‘What if Bill doesn’t like me coming to his house at this hour?’ he had thought.

“Well, come in. He is upstairs. I will sleep on the couch so don’t worry if you want to spend the night, take my bed. Or his, he joked.”

Stanley tried to smile but from Richie’s weird wince he understood he could have been more convincing. He would have if it wasn’t for the mess going on inside his head. Love made you stupid for sure. He went inside. The lights were off but the wood in the chimney was burning so you could discern some of the shadows, it was enough to go upstairs without hitting every single piece of furniture on the way, which had not been the case in his own house. He took his shoes off and felt Richie’s hand find their way on his stomach. He hummed and said something Stan did not hear properly to make sense of it.

“Anyway. Go save your princess, he concluded.”

His speech was probably motivational and heartfelt but no matter how much he thought about it, Stan had not understood anything. He found his way to Bill’s room miraculously without falling down in the stairs of in the gloomy, dark corridor. When he opened the door he heard a sob.

“Bill, he called out, reaching for the switch, it’s me.”

“Stan!”

Bill ran over him, Stanley could not see him in the darkness but he felt his warm embrace and he immediately felt happy. He felt Bill’s cheek against his though he was pretty sure until not so long ago he had been taller than Bill. On his cheek there was a moisture, he had cried. It was not a surprise, his brother had gone missing he probably felt scared and angry and frustrated.

“Stan, why are you here, he finally uttered.”

As Bill walked away, Stan thought about his answer. He did not know how honest he could be when it came to his feelings and to Bill. If he was too sudden he would scare him off but if he took too long he would probably loose him wouldn’t he? He could definitely not say he came because he was madly in love with Bill for several months if not years but he still wanted to show his affection.

“I wanted to be present for you. I can’t imagine how hard it must be for you. And I don’t want you to suffer in silence. Because I like you a lot, we are friends.”

He felt his throat hurt a little as he said this last word. Stan had grown accustomed to the dark, enough to tell Bill smiled as he wiped his tears away. Stan really wanted to hug him again. To feel his skin against his, to be warmed by him and maybe if he was daring enough he could have kissed his cheek, or his brow. He felt a little feverish. It was all those thoughts. They made him sick. He thought too much, always had been.

“Do you mind if we go sit on my bed. I am exhausted.”

“Oh no, it’s okay Bill, let’s go.”

Bill took his arm, his grip was firm and appeasing. He led him to the bed and gave him his blanket as he buried himself in his softest plaid. Stanley smiled, Bill was thoughtful, he always made sure Stan was comfortable not matter how he himself felt but today was his day. Today he was the one who needed to be taken care of because life had decided to be cruel on him.

“Let me take care of you. For once, he whispered.”

Bill nodded. He felt shy and maybe he had started blushing ever since he heard Stan call out his name. Stan had this effect on him, always making him flush and think about things. He made him feel like a stupid middle school girl falling in love for the first time. He made him feel all merry and giddy with love. He made him feel okay and, at this moment, when his world started to crumble he needed to feel okay.

“I will let you take care of today, but only this once because I love you.”

And at this moment as Bill smiled at him, Stanley wanted to lean in and kiss him. It would have been the perfect moment. But he only smiled and used the cover to cover them both. He hugged Bill tightly and let him bury his head on his shoulder. It was a bit uncomfortable, they were definitely too big to be installed in such a way on Bill’s small bed but it was the best they had.

“Stanley, tell me a story.”

Stan chuckled in front of Bill’s childishness but he closed his eyes and obeyed, too enamoured to even care if it was a stupid request.

“Once upon a time there was a prince. He was a very sweet, kind prince with the most beautiful smile one could ever see. This prince was in need of a good lover, one as gentle and as benevolent as he was. So the prince went from kingdom to kingdom meeting every single suitor willing to marry our prince. They were hundreds of thousands of them, all ready to marry the prince but none of them were suitable. Some were gorgeous, maybe more than him, some were smart and sly like foxes and some were the most pleasant ladies. But the prince never found the right person to stand by his side. So he came home. One afternoon he settled on the bridge of a pond and stared at the green water. The fish were eagerly moving around and the prince left lonely compared to them. As he lost in his thoughts, someone walked up next to him and started talking. ‘Have you witnessed the cherry trees blossom this year?’ they had asked a soft smile on their face. The prince was surprised, no one ever talked to him that way, they were always so polite and they would never talk to him about such a trivial topic. He was shocked but he decided to stay because the person looked lonely, just like him. ‘I did not’ he answered. ‘I have been away for a very long time’. The person nodded. ‘I have not been able come here this year, it was the first time I missed it.’ The prince understood the melancholy in their heart. ‘I hope you will see them soon,” he replied. The poor person chuckled. Their smile had not faded. ‘I hope too. I miss the smell of the flowers  
.’ The prince continued to talk. ‘Have you ever seen a cactus flower?’. The person laughed. ‘No. I can not travel. But being here makes me happy.’ The prince was curious. ‘Why can’t you travel?’. The person turned to him. They had very pale eyes. ‘I am blind. I can only travel with someone guiding me but then I can not see them.’ The prince was very empathetic. ‘Will you follow me in my travels then?’ The person agreed. The prince continued this travel. He still met suitors but no one seemed to be enough. One day he came back to his room. The person, his friend, was waiting for him. They started talking about their homeland. Suddenly the prince asked something peculiar: ‘Would you be willing to stay at my side when I don’t travel?’. The person smiled their soft smile. ‘Yes. You have always been nice to me. You treat me like your equal. Nobody does that.’ The prince smiled. ‘Is that why you treat me as an equal?’ His friend shook his head. ‘Oh, dear, no. It’s because I didn’t know who you were and then it became an habit.’ The prince frowned. ‘Then do you see me as your equal?’ The person stopped from a moment. He thought about it. ‘I see you as my friend. There may not be any equality between us but I still love you.’ The prince felt vexed by this answer. He wanted them to feel like his equal. The day after he decided to go home. When they arrived his friend asked why they had come him. ‘I think I found the perfect person for me.’ The person looked surprised. They had caught no wind of it. ‘Who is it,’ they asked. ‘Tis you. You are the only person that I wish to have by my side.’ And they lived happily ever after.”

Bill chuckled. The story was terrible. It made no sense and the characters were hollow but he was grateful Stanley gave in to his orders. It had been fun to see him struggle to create this story. He had tried not to stare as his lips, because he knew if he did he would want to kiss him.

“Thank you, Stan. It was very entertaining.”

Stan opened his eyes, he looked at Bill. His smile was fixed and his eyes squinting, his nose made one or two wrinkles appear on his brow. He was lying. He could read it on his face, he was easy to understand, always so transparent.

“You are a way better storyteller than I am. You should have invented a story. Mine is so bad. There no meaning to it, I tried but I can’t think of anything that could motivate the characters. They have no reason to even end up together.”

“It’s okay. I liked it.”

“Liar, Stan retorted, you are saying that to get me off your back. You hated it. I can see it on your face, I hate that pitying look!”

“I didn’t hate it, hate is a strong word. It wasn’t perfect of course but it could have been way worse.”

“Bill! You lied. Lying is bad. Don’t say you like it if you don’t, I wish you weren’t dishonest with me, I really hate it when you don’t tell me the truth.”

Bill stared at the boy. He was going on and going without a care in a world. Bill thought about Mister Denbrough who was sleeping in the bedroom facing his, he would probably not sleep a lot already but is Stanley kept nagging then his chances to sleep would be very small. Bill wanted to shut Stan up. He was cuter when he was silent and shy, looking at him like a bunny would look at a fox, with his big innocent eyes. He wanted to make him blush and bury his head in his hand and maybe tear up a bit and giggle like a young girl. But he couldn’t, instead he brought him closer to his heart with a hug.

“I like it better when you shut up.”

“Rude.”

“I know but it’s true. Can’t help it.”

Stan buried his head in Bill’s hair. It smelled of flowers. It reminded him of his childhood, of going in the fields outside the city during the spring to pick flowers with his mother. He thought about his parents. He would probably not be allowed home for a few days if not forever since they would probably confront him about his sexuality. He had to talk to the others, urgently, seeing how precarious his situation might become.

“I should have told my parents before I left. You know, you will actually have fun if I tell you how I left my house. I had to go downstairs, otherwise I would have woke them up with my window damned creaking sound and the cold wind would have got in the house. Plus it wasn’t like I could jump. So I went downstairs. And it’s my house so you would expect I can navigate though it without much difficulty but it surely was far from the truth. I think I might have broken a few vases. Maybe maybe a few plates and glasses in the thing where we keep them.”

“Have you forgotten how it’s called, Bill asked in a sleepy voice.”

“Yeah.”

“Good. Me too...”

Stan stayed silent. He waited until Bill was sound asleep and moved him to have him sleep in a proper posture. Then he went in the kitchen to get some water. Richie was still up, looking at his phone and giggling uncontrollably at the blue screen. Stanley raises an eyebrow. He knew Richie very well, they were best friends and one thing he knew was that Richie almost never laughed at images or they had be tremendously funny.

“Is it Eddie?”

“Better even!”

“What have you done again?”

“I logged in Ben’s account. He is talking to Mike. Every single one of their text makes it even better.”

“Richie. That’s not correct, Stan chided, you are not going to spy on our friends. You should feel very ashamed or your behaviour. I know I did ask you to do it, but it was once and I am a responsible person, at least enough to stop myself at that. You are being childish. That’s simply ridiculous.”

“Stan, Richie sais as solemnly as he could, don’t be cocky, stop acting all mature with me. We both know how you truly are.”

Stan went in the kitchen and tried to calm down. He wanted to punch Richie in the face. He would have if he wasn’t thirsty. Fortunately he had priorities and staying hydrated was one of them. He grabbed a glass and remembered Bill had been crying so he grabbed another glass, filled them up and walked back upstairs after checking on Richie. His friend was playing some sort of video game with small characters whose voices could be heard from time to time. When he came back the bedroom he found Bill awake. 

“Where have you been?”

“I got us water. How come you woke up so quickly?”

Bill flushed. He had woken up because he felt cold, and the reason he felt cold was because Stan had left. If telling Stan about it was not risky, since Stan could react pretty strongly if he god mad after misinterpreting his words, then he would have told him he wanted him by his side. He felt peaceful next to him and he yearned to be peaceful this night. 

“I wasn’t sleeping deeply, I woke up because a car went by quickly. It was noisy.”

Stanley nodded, he probably didn’t pay enough attention to his face or he have noticed the slight frown and the small disgusted smile on Bill’s face. He handed him his glass and sat on the desk to drink his. He was starting to feel a little tired.

“You should go back to sleep Bill.”

“I don’t want to.”

“You have to. Should I make you?”

Bill laughed, that was quite daring of Stan. No matter what he attempted to do to make him sleep, as he had phrased it, he would not be able to do it. Bill was stronger than him, he was sporty and a more muscular. Wrestling with Stan would be like wrestling with a baby.

“Yeah, you should. I am curious if the method you will use. Are you going to hit my head with, I don’t know, the radio? Or will you push me down and force me to stay still until I fall asleep? Oh no, you will drug me, won’t you?”

Stan sighed. He would have liked not to go to such extent but he had to. He got up, slowly walking toward the closet. He opened it, Bill’s curious gaze on his back made him nervous. When he reached out to grab a tee he noticed his hand was trembling like a falling leaf. He expired and tried to calm himself down as he started to strip. Once he changed the clothes he had ran with for Bill’s tee he felt much more comfy.

“That’s better. Do you think I will be able to shower tomorrow?”

He finally turned back to Bill. He could not see him properly from afar but he could see him looking down and suddenly jumping as if he had just come to life. 

“Y-Yeah. My dad w-w-won’t mind. He will be hap-happy to have you here...”

Bill felt his heart clench as he remembered Georgie was absent and would not even see Stanley this time. He lowered his head again. He just wanted to sleep now because as long as he hadn’t he would not be able to look for his brother. He needed to sleep and then it would be the day and he would go with his dad to ask around and look at the most likely places. His mom would probably come in town after. 

“Bill. You should sleep. I can wait until you fall asleep if you want me to keep you company but you really need to be rested.”

Stanley had a very soft voice, it seemed like he was flirting his way into making Bill sleep but it wasn’t like the other boy minded. Bill let Stan have the plaid since he slept on the floor. They both settled in their blankets. 

“You sleep too. Tomorrow I will wake up early to get help to look for Georgie.”

“Yeah you will. And you know you can count on me, on all of us in fact. We all want to help but it’s difficult for us to say it. Because we are scared. But we are hopeful. For now though, the plan is to sleep.”

Bille smiled, he felt a rush of happiness in stomach. His friends were being supportive and he could never be thankful enough. Because he was scared too.


End file.
